The use of AI (artificial intelligence) in Hollywood is becoming more and more widespread, despite the significant pushback it tends to be met with among a lot of fans and those within the industry.
Though some feel that the advent of AI as a tool is an inevitability that people are just going to have to accept, replicating an actor's likeness - especially posthumously - is a step too far for many.
Several high-profile actors and directors have already spoken out against the use of AI, and we can now add Robert Downey Jr.'s name to the list.
The Academy Award winner - who was the driving force of the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Tony Stark/Iron Man for many years and will soon make his MCU return as Doctor Doom - was asked how he feels about his likeness potentially being recreated on screen through AI technology and/or deepfakes on a recent episode of the On With Kara Swisher podcast.
“There’s two tracks. How do I feel about everything that’s going on? I feel about it minimally because I have an actual emotional life that’s occurring that doesn’t have a lot of room for that,” Downey began, before issuing a warning to any studios who may consider using AI to bring him back after he's passed on.
"I would like to here state that I intend to sue all future executives, just on spec.” RDI then acknowledged that he will be dead, "but my law firm will still be very active.”
The reality is, AI might simply be something we are going to have to get used to.
A recent report from The Wrap claimed that The Walt Disney Co. is planning to announce a major AI initiative that will transform its creative output. The initiative is said to involve “hundreds” of people at the company and will primarily focus on post-production and visual effects.
Disney CEO Bob Iger has previously said AI is a tool like any other, and that people shouldn't "fixate on its ability to be disruptive — fixate on [tech’s] ability to make us better and tell better stories. Not only better stories, but to reach more people."
He continued: “You’re never going to get in the way of it. There isn’t a generation of human beings that has ever been able to stand the way of technological advancement,” Iger said. “What we try to do is embrace the change that technology has created, and use it as the wind behind our backs instead of wind in our faces.”
Utilizing AI to enhance VFX is not quite the same as, say, completely replacing an actor with a deepfake, but many feel it is a slippery slope.