By Gavin Boyle
As newly elected SAG-AFTRA president Sean Astin takes on Hollywood’s fight against AI, he has turned up the heat against the technology as it continues to improve at a meteoric rate.
“Fundamentally, we must remember and remind everyone that audiences don’t build emotional connections or lifelong relationships with algorithms. They connect with artists,” Astin and SAG-AFTRA Chief Negotiator Duncan Crabtree-Ireland said in a joint statement. “They see themselves reflected in real human performances, in the joy, heartbreak, jealousy, love, resilience and truth that only a person can express.”
“From Home and Shakespeare to today’s storytellers, performance has always been a mirror of our shared humanity,” the statement continued. “No dataset or generative model can capture that spark. AI is getting more realistic looking, but audiences will always gravitate to that which is real and true. They want to know that the artist really feels what they are feeling, in a laugh, a sob, a smile or a tear. When they are moved, they want to know that what they are feeling is real.”
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The actors’ union has stood against the integration of AI in Hollywood since it became a major issue in 2022. However, as the technology improves, it has only become more of a concern for the actors.
In recent months, OpenAI has released the second iteration of its Sora AI video generator, while the studio Particle6 has launched AI actor Tilly Norwood and is currently fielding representation from multiple agencies.
The people creating these technologies argue that their product will only add to the industry, but many actors continue to fear the worst: that they will eventually have their jobs replaced by these AI tools.
“To those who have expressed anger over the creation of my AI character, Tilly Norwood, she is not a replacement for a human being, but a creative work – a piece of art,” Particle6 founder Eline Van der Velden wrote on Instagram after facing extreme backlash. “Like many forms of art before her, she sparks conversation, and that in itself shows the power of creativity.”
As actors and those who represent them continue to fight any use of AI in the industry, others have begun to open up the door for these tools, such as Netflix, which recently published its guidelines for AI use in the content on its platform.
It seems that AI is here to stay and will cause major changes in nearly every industry. Hollywood is no different, but the rate it is introduced and just how sweeping its effect is will largely hinge on just how much people like Astin can fight its coming.
Read Next: Why the Entertainment Industry Is Outraged Over AI Actress Tilly Norwood
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