United Kingdom, May 10 -- Steven Soderbergh has insisted using artificial intelligence (AI) technology will be "better" for his upcoming Spanish-American war movie.

The 63-year-old filmmaker is working on an ambitious new project based around the 1898 conflict and he plans to embrace the developing technology to help cut costs when it comes to special effects.

But despite being open-minded on the controversial subject, Soderbergh doesn't think AI can ever replace real performances.

He told Deadline: "I've got ocean battles with scores of warships from 1898: I can't afford that. I can build the deck, but I mean, I've got to have a plan here. But I think that's different. People looking at that and knowing that that's a visual effect is ...