Nicolas Cage has taken a firm stand against the use of artificial intelligence in acting, warning that any actor who allows AI to alter their performance is heading towards "a dead end." Cage, who recently won the best actor award for his role in Dream Scenario at the Saturn Awards, used his acceptance speech to express his concerns about AI's impact on the arts.
"I have to thank Kristoffer Borgli for his direction, his writing, his editing and for creating this incredibly disturbing but hilarious world that he dreamt up," Cage began. "But there is another world that is also disturbing me. It's happening right now around all of us: the new AI world. I am a big believer in not letting robots dream for us. Robots cannot reflect the human condition for us. That is a dead end if an actor lets one AI robot manipulate his or her performance even a little bit, an inch will eventually become a mile and all integrity, purity and truth of art will be replaced by financial interests only. We can't let that happen."
Cage emphasized the fundamental role of art, including film performance, in mirroring both the external and internal narratives of the human condition. He argued that this reflection requires a deeply human, thoughtful, and emotional process of recreation, something he believes AI cannot achieve. "The job of all art in my view, film performance included, is to hold a mirror to the external and internal stories of the human condition through the very human thoughtful and emotional process of recreation. A robot can't do that. If we let robots do that, it will lack all heart and eventually lose edge and turn to mush. There will be no human response to life as we know it. It will be life as robots tell us to know it. I say, protect yourselves from AI interfering with your authentic and honest expressions."
Cage isn't the first actor to voice concerns about AI, particularly in the voice acting industry, where AI has been used to recreate entire performances, even in high-profile video games. Notable voice actors like Ned Luke from Grand Theft Auto 5 and Doug Cockle from The Witcher have also spoken out against AI. Luke criticized a chatbot for using his voice without permission, while Cockle acknowledged AI's inevitability but highlighted its dangers, particularly in robbing voice actors of their income.
Filmmakers have also weighed in on the AI debate, though their opinions are not unanimous. Tim Burton, a legendary director, described AI-generated art as "very disturbing," whereas Zack Snyder, known for directing Justice League and Rebel Moon, believes filmmakers should embrace AI rather than remain passive observers.
