Love or hate AI, the emerging technology is clearly here to stay. There's already controversy surrounding its use in Hollywood, with many actors fighting back against the notion of it becoming commonplace in film and TV show production.
Still, AI studios are popping up everywhere, and studio heads have openly acknowledged that they're exploring ways to use the technology to hasten the production process (and, crucially, reduce costs).
Some have taken it a step further, of course, and Eline Van der Velden's AI talent studio Xicoia claimed last year to be in talks with several talent agents who wish to sign its first creation, AI actress Tilly Norward. The biggest criticism has been the fact that, like an AI-generated script, "Tilly" would steal from others to create what would ultimately be a soulless performance.
In Guardians of the Galaxy star Chris Pratt's new movie, Mercy, the actor plays a Detective forced to match wits with an AI judge after being accused of murdering his wife. In a red carpet interview, Pratt was asked to share his thoughts on possibly being replaced by an AI actor.
"I don't feel like someone's going to replace me with AI. This Tilly Norwood thing — it's all bullshit. I've never seen her in a movie. I don't know who this bitch is. It's all fake until it's something. I think it's an amazing tool that could really help people tell stories. It's inevitably going to disrupt the industry. We're in the midst of an intellectual revolution."
"We're not the first or the last industry disrupted by AI, but I just keep trucking forward. Great filmmakers are going to make great films, and they're probably going to implement these tools if it helps streamline production and bring the cost of production down. It's inevitable. I don't think you can replace a human soul — director, writer, actor, singer, any of this stuff that requires human yearning, suffering, vision, and art. It's the soul, that connection."
"Watching a movie, you might not be able to put your finger on what you're digesting, but you know it's real. We might not fully comprehend it, but it's there. In the absence of that true connection, it's not going to feel right. Something will be missing, and we'll know it — the human soul. That gives me comfort."
It's hard to find fault with anything Pratt is saying here, and there are plenty of benefits to using AI at a time when people would rather wait for a new movie to hit streaming than buy a ticket to the theater.
Pratt is right that even the most convincing AI creation will struggle to recreate a real actor's performance, and it's hard to imagine creations like Tilly Norwood ever taking off in a meaningful way.
You can check out the Avengers: Endgame star's comments below, along with our recent interview with Pratt.