Cage Slams AI Acting: "Dead End," Lacks Human Condition

Nicolas Cage has delivered a scathing critique of artificial intelligence, asserting that any actor allowing AI to influence their performance is heading towards a creative dead end. Speaking at the Saturn Awards, where he won Best Actor for his role in Dream Scenario, Cage passionately argued that robots are incapable of capturing the complexities of the human condition.

"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. He then shifted his focus to the burgeoning AI landscape, declaring, "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 crucial role of art in mirroring the human experience, both internal and external, a process he believes requires genuine human emotion and thoughtfulness – elements he contends AI lacks. "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."

The debate extends beyond actors; filmmakers are also grappling with the implications of AI. While Tim Burton has labeled AI-generated art "very disturbing," Zack Snyder advocates for embracing the technology rather than resisting it.