There’s been a lot of talk about the threat AI poses to the future of the entertainment industry, that AI will one day replace actors, writers, etc.
There is a threat, one that should be taken seriously, but it does not come from the technology itself. No matter how advanced AI becomes in the coming years, human emotion and behavior are not so easily replicated nor communicated to an audience without craft, risk, intent, vulnerability, and above all empathy, things that a machine is simply not capable of.
Audiences today crave authenticity, catharsis, and truth, and are a lot more discerning that many in Hollywood give them credit for. Whether we’re looking for art that transcends the soul or entertainment that allows for an escape, the stories we tell require connection in order for them to resonate.
Though the technology will never truly be able to achieve the kind of performance a human is capable of giving or its lasting impact, that won’t stop studios’ corporate greed from trying to replace employee costs with equipment costs and prioritize making product over making art, even incidentally.
If audiences and artists are able to stand together however and voice their desire to see something more, and if artists continue to refine their skills and utilize their talents to illuminate the human condition through their work, then the future can be bright and the tools at our disposal can be used not to simulate connection and the world around us, but to make it a better place.
Michelle Danner, acting teacher and founder of the Creative Center for the Arts and the Los Angeles Acting Conservatory, is also a successful film director. Catch up with her here: TikTok | Instagram | All in Films
