Jorge R. Gutierrez

Jorge R. Gutierrez (born 1975) is a Mexican animator, director, and writer, the Emmy-winning creator of El Tigre and the director of the vividly stylized features The Book of Life (2014, produced by Guillermo del Toro) and Netflix’s Maya and the Three (2021). His work is a celebration of Mexican folk art, colour, and hand-crafted design.

Quitting the AI program

In May 2026, Gutierrez was announced as a creator attached to Amazon’s new generative-AI initiative, unveiled at the company’s “AI on the Lot” event, with a planned series called Punky Duck. He initially framed his involvement as a way to keep artists in the driver’s seat: “My intent was to showcase artists, both new and seasoned… driving this new tech.”

The animation community’s response was fierce, and within days Gutierrez reversed course. “I have decided to drop out of the AI program at Amazon,” he wrote. “I will not be making a Punky Duck series.” He signed off with a line that became the story’s headline: “Actions speak louder than words.” He apologized “to those I upset” and pledged “to do better moving forward,” while acknowledging he understood “the concern of using AI to assist an animation pipeline.”

The very public about-face — walking away from a studio deal in response to his peers — made Gutierrez a notable example of an artist choosing solidarity over a generative-AI project.