Blue Zoo Animation Studio has published an AI policy to make it clear to the industry how it plans to integrate the technology into its business. 

The London-based prodco quietly released its policy in February to coincide with Kidscreen Summit, but is now talking about it publicly for the first time. Blue Zoo calls it an AI Manifesto, and it breaks down where and how the company, which does service work and produces its own original series, will use AI tools across its pipeline. 

The policy has 10 key points, including that artists are free to use AI tools if they want to, and that the company needs to be transparent about how AI is being used. It also states that Blue Zoo must prioritize tools (whether they be licensed or proprietary) that have the lowest carbon emissions. 

Animation studios are increasingly using AI, but most aren’t talking about how it’s being implemented, says Tom Box, Blue Zoo’s co-founder and joint managing director. He feels it’s critical that the company have a policy for AI because it tells artists they have the freedom to use it if they want to—instead of forcing it on them. And it also informs clients that Blue Zoo isn’t going to do anything that could lead to copyright-related legal issues. 

At a top level, processes like concept design, script writing, animation and voiceovers will also be handled by humans at Blue Zoo. And AI won’t have any place in HR functionality—since its models might inherit biases from programmers that could affect hiring processes, Box notes.

Blue Zoo’s policy also addresses the fact that some AI models are being trained on unlicensed copyrighted material. To avoid running into any legal and ethical complications, the studio will only subscribe to AI vendors that are exclusively trained on authorized data (such as Adobe’s Firefly), and Blue Zoo won’t use data to train its own models unless it has explicit permission from the copyright holder (including voiceover actors). 

One area where AI is often used is brainstorming (for example, creating mood boards to communicate ideas), and that’s OK. Blue Zoo artists are also permitted to use an approved tool (like Firefly) to automate a process like extending a background with the click of a button, instead of spending hours creating that art by hand. 

Blue Zoo’s AI Manifesto has been in the works for close to two years, and the company’s executive team kicked it around for months before sharing it with staff for feedback. That’s a step Box recommends to every company considering following in its footsteps. Unsurprisingly, when Blue Zoo asked for thoughts from its artists, there was a lot of discussion—some staff are wary of AI, while others welcome it. 

What was surprising was that beyond the ethical and environmental concerns raised by creatives, some also said they were worried that AI might lower job satisfaction, says Box. It turns out that for some, the “boring” parts of the job that AI is often tasked with taking over are sometimes the most satisfying for creatives. That’s something the executive team, which can be detached from everyday production processes, didn’t anticipate. And Box says this insight informed the company’s decision to make AI use optional. 

The policy also acknowledges that AI is prone to make mistakes (or make information up), and to address this, there must always be human oversight on its use. 

As AI becomes more prevalent in the industry, it’s almost certain that more studios will roll out their own policies making it clear to staff, clients and consumers how they use the tech. 9 Story Media Group and Brown Bag Films released one in May 2024, outlining similar guidelines around being transparent with regards to AI usage.   

The technology itself will also continue to evolve, and as it does, having a clear and easy-to-understand guide for artists and clients is a good foundational asset, says Box. “Blue Zoo will look different in 10 years, and we have to get in the mode of thinking about this now because if we bury our heads in the sand, it will not help anyone,” he says. “We’re all about human artistry, and that’s not mutually exclusive with artificial intelligence.” 

Pictured is Blue Zoo CG-animated series Wonderblocks, courtesy of Blue Zoo.