Ben Affleck Doubts AI Can Overtake Human Talent in Film

Ben Affleck, the bloke behind hits like Argo and Gone Girl, has thrown his hat into the ring on the ongoing debate about artificial intelligence in the creative industries. Chatting on The Joe Rogan Experience, Affleck opened up about his latest action flick with Matt Damon and the growing anxiety around AI’s role in the arts. He didn’t mince words about the technology’s current state, making it clear he’s not convinced it’s up to scratch for replacing anyone in the business just yet.

When pressed on what he reckons is the biggest issue with AI, Affleck didn’t hold back.

“We’ve been spending time looking at this. My belief is it’s sort of like, ‘What’s going to happen with electricity?’ Well, a lot of sh*t’s going to happen with electricity. Some of it’s going to be good. Some of it’s going to change stuff.

He went on to take the mickey out of popular AI chatbots, saying,

You try to get ChatGPT or Claude or Gemini to write you something, it’s really sh*tty. And it’s sh*tty because, by its nature, it goes to the mean, to the average, and it’s not reliable. I actually don’t think it’s going to be able to write anything meaningful, and in particular, that it’s going to be making movies from whole cloth, like Tilly Norwood – that’s bullsh*t. I don’t think that’s gonna happen.

Affleck also pointed out the sense of dread some folks have about AI wiping out jobs, but he’s not buying into the panic.

We have the sense there’s this existential dread that it’s gonna wipe everything out. But that runs counter to what history seems to show… I think a lot of that rhetoric comes from people trying to justify valuations around companies.

AI’s Growing Pains in Hollywood

Last year, the film industry saw a surge in AI use, especially in production for both film and telly. The Oscar season was marked by heated arguments over AI-generated content, and streaming giants like Netflix started dabbling in AI-driven projects. The unveiling of Tilly Norwood, the first AI actress, made headlines but didn’t exactly win over the punters, with most reactions leaning negative.

Some studios, spooked by copyright lawsuits, have started treading carefully. Others, though, are keen to pour money into AI, hoping it’ll help cut costs on set. Disney even inked a major deal to allow AI-generated videos using their most popular characters and stories, signalling just how seriously some are taking the tech.

Uncertain Future for AI in the Arts

Despite all the buzz, the role of AI in the creative world is still up in the air. The technology is evolving, but it’s early days, and no one’s quite sure how it’ll shake out for artists, writers, and filmmakers. For now, many in the industry are hoping that the unique spark of human creativity won’t be replaced by algorithms any time soon.