Coraline Animator Launches No AI Day on October 9 to Celebrate Human Creativity

As AI transforms filmmaking, art and game development, Battle Bears creator Ben Vu invites people worldwide to celebrate work made without generative AI.

LOS ANGELES, CA, UNITED STATES, October 8, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — As artificial intelligence rapidly transforms the entertainment and creative industries, Coraline animator and Battle Bears creator Ben Vu is launching No AI Day, an annual October 9 observance inviting people worldwide to celebrate the traditional human creative process.

Artists, filmmakers, musicians, writers, game developers and students are encouraged to share something they created without generative AI and tag it #NoAIday.

The initiative arrives amid an intensifying debate over the role of AI in human creativity. This week, news of an AI-generated film pursuing an Academy Award and Google’s expansion into AI-powered game creation with Playground underscored how quickly generative technology is entering traditional creative industries.

Meanwhile, filmmakers including Guillermo del Toro have publicly defended traditional artistic craftsmanship. Del Toro rejected generative AI for the 3D conversion of Pan’s Labyrinth, which returns to theaters on October 9, the same day as No AI Day.

Musician and artist Sean Ono Lennon recently added his voice to the debate, writing on X on October 1 that “AI is a Faustian bargain.” Lennon joins a growing number of prominent creatives publicly debating the implications of generative AI.

“As we reach the point where anyone can make their own Star Wars or GTA, I believe the human story behind the work becomes more meaningful,” said Vu. “Who made it? What did they experience? What choices did they make? No AI Day is a day to celebrate that human connection.”

A Global Invitation to Create and Share

Participation is simple and free: draw, paint, write, photograph, film, animate, make music, build a game, craft or perform. Participants can share new or existing work created without generative AI and use the hashtag #NoAIday.
Founded in July 2025, No AI Day celebrates the imagination, practice, experimentation, mistakes and craftsmanship behind traditional human-created works.

An Animator & Game Developer Exploring Both Sides of AI

Vu holds an MFA from the California Institute of the Arts and worked at LAIKA during the early production of Coraline. He later founded SkyVu Entertainment and created Battle Bears, a game franchise with more than 40 million downloads worldwide.

Most recently, Vu returned to his undergraduate alma mater, Ball State University, as its Edmund F. and Virginia B. Ball Visiting Expert in Residence for Media.

There, he developed and taught “To AI or Not AI,” a course comparing traditional production methods with emerging generative-AI workflows, examining the strengths, limitations and implications of both approaches.

“Exploring AI and celebrating traditional human creativity don’t have to be opposing ideas,” said Vu. “No AI Day isn’t asking people to stop using AI. It’s one day each year to practice your craft and celebrate what people can create without generative AI.”

Vu is also applying that philosophy to his own creative work. SkyVu Entertainment is currently preparing the return of Battle Bears Gold, with the revival being created by its human team without generative-AI-created content.

“In a world flooded with AI-generated videos, games and art, knowing that something was created by human hands may become part of what makes it special,” said Vu. “Just as we value original paintings for more than the images themselves, I believe the human stories and creative journeys behind our work will become increasingly meaningful.”

Ben Vu
No AI Day Organization
ben@noaiday.org
Visit us on social media:
Instagram
Facebook
YouTube
TikTok
X

No AI Day is October 9

Media gallery