Gal Gadot details safeguards for AI-made sets in The Runner

Gal Gadot says her new Prime Video action film The Runner used artificial intelligence for sets and lighting while contract protections kept the technology away from her performance. The actor described a six-month legal review designed to prevent her image or acting from being altered by AI.

AI behind the environment, not the actor

Gadot discussed the production during an appearance on Josh Horowitz’s Happy Sad Confused interview series. She said the project was filmed in a largely bare space, with AI later used to build visual environments and lighting around the actors. That setup made the shoot feel closer to theater because the performers had fewer physical surroundings to react to.

The actor said her legal team considered different scenarios for six months before she signed. Her central condition was that AI could not be used to change her performance. According to Gadot, the safeguards drew interest from SAG representatives seeking ideas for protections that could apply to other performers.

Producer Ryan Kavanaugh has said the $70 million film avoided more than $200 million in costs through its technology-driven production design. That remains the producer’s estimate, not an independently audited savings figure. Gadot also said she had not yet seen a finished shot when she discussed the process, leaving the final visual result for audiences to judge.

A live experiment in Hollywood’s AI debate

Directed by Doug Liman, The Runner turns an abstract industry argument into a concrete production test. The approach separates two uses of AI that are often discussed together: generating locations and lighting is one issue, while manipulating an actor’s face, voice or performance is another.

Gadot said she remains uneasy about the technology but believes performers must learn how it works and negotiate boundaries rather than ignore it. Her comments do not settle broader concerns about jobs, consent or authorship. They do show the kind of contractual detail actors may demand as AI becomes more common on large productions.

The film’s release will offer the first public look at whether its digitally built world feels coherent around live performances. Just as important, its production may become a reference point for future negotiations, especially if the promised line between synthetic scenery and protected human acting proves enforceable.