AI-generated shows could replace lost DVD revenue, Ben Affleck says

Final week, actor and director Ben Affleck shared his views on AI’s position in filmmaking in the course of the 2024 CNBC Delivering Alpha investor summit, arguing that AI fashions will rework visible results however will not exchange artistic filmmaking anytime quickly. A video clip of Affleck’s opinion started circulating widely on social media not lengthy after.

“Didn’t anticipate Ben Affleck to have probably the most articulate and sensible rationalization the place video fashions and Hollywood goes,” wrote one X consumer.

Within the clip, Affleck spoke of present AI fashions’ talents as imitators and conceptual translators—mimics which might be usually higher at translating one style into another as a substitute of originating deeply artistic materials.

“AI can write glorious imitative verse, nevertheless it can not write Shakespeare,” Affleck informed CNBC’s David Faber. “The perform of getting two, three, or 4 actors in a room and the style to discern and assemble that completely eludes AI’s functionality.”

Affleck sees AI fashions as “craftsmen” fairly than artists (though some would possibly discover the time period “craftsman” in his analogy considerably imprecise). He defined that whereas AI can study by imitation—like a craftsman finding out furniture-making methods—it lacks the artistic judgment that defines artistry. “Craftsman is realizing work. Artwork is realizing when to cease,” he mentioned.

“It isn’t going to exchange human beings making movies,” Affleck acknowledged. As an alternative, he sees AI taking up “the extra laborious, much less artistic and extra expensive elements of filmmaking,” which might decrease limitations to entry and make it simpler for rising filmmakers to create films like Good Will Searching.

Movies will change into dramatically cheaper to make

Whereas it could appear on its floor like Affleck was attacking generative AI capabilities within the tech trade, he additionally didn’t deny the affect it could have on filmmaking. For instance, he predicted that AI would cut back prices and velocity up manufacturing schedules, doubtlessly permitting reveals like HBO’s Home of the Dragon to launch two seasons in the identical interval because it takes to make one.