Kutcher’s Vision: How AI Could Revolutionize Hollywood Production
Ashton Kutcher, the actor and tech enthusiast, recently shared his thoughts on how artificial intelligence (AI) could transform the filmmaking industry. Speaking at a Berggruen Salon event in Los Angeles alongside Google CEO Eric Schmidt, the 46-year-old actor discussed AI’s potential to cut production costs and enhance the creative process in Hollywood.
Kutcher, who has been experimenting with OpenAI’s generative video tool, Sora, believes that AI could allow filmmakers to create realistic footage without needing expensive equipment or large crews. “You can generate any footage that you want,” Kutcher said, explaining how AI tools could generate short videos that look highly realistic. He acknowledged that the technology still has its flaws—particularly with physics and motion—yet emphasized the rapid progress AI has made over the past year. He even suggested that AI could soon be used in major motion pictures or television shows.
The Cost-Saving Potential of AI in Filmmaking
One of the most compelling aspects of AI, according to Kutcher, is its ability to drastically reduce production costs. Traditional filmmaking requires significant budgets for location fees, crew, and equipment, particularly for complex shots. For instance, filming an establishing shot of a house can cost thousands of dollars, but with AI, that same shot could be generated for just $100. Furthermore, AI could even simulate action scenes, like stunts involving jumping off buildings, removing the need for stunt performers and expensive safety measures.
This potential for cost-saving could open up filmmaking to a wider range of creators and reduce financial barriers, allowing for greater creativity and more diverse stories to be told without the heavy overhead.
A Future Where Viewers Become Creators
Kutcher’s vision goes beyond just improving production efficiency—he believes AI could eventually allow anyone to make their own movie from scratch. “You’ll just come up with an idea for a movie, then it will write the script, then you’ll input the script into the video generator and it will generate the movie,” he predicted. This could democratize filmmaking to the point where audiences no longer only consume content, but actively create it themselves. Kutcher envisions a future where even those without traditional filmmaking experience could generate high-quality films, making the industry more accessible to everyone.
Criticism from Industry Professionals
Not everyone shares Kutcher’s optimistic view of AI in filmmaking. Critics are raising concerns about the potential impact on the job market within the entertainment industry. Screenwriter J Filiatraut expressed his worries, arguing that widespread use of AI could lead to the loss of jobs for crew members and stunt performers who rely on their craft for a living. Others, such as former Rick and Morty writer Caitie Delaney, warned that removing human collaboration from creative endeavors could strip films of their artistic merit. “When you take ANY humans off of a collaborative and creative pursuit, you literally lose the humanity,” Delaney argued, suggesting that films generated entirely by AI would lack the soul and depth of traditional filmmaking.
The Ongoing Debate: AI and the Future of Filmmaking
Kutcher’s comments come at a time when labor unions in the entertainment industry, including SAG-AFTRA and the WGA, have been negotiating provisions related to AI. These negotiations include protections to prevent AI from replicating actors’ likenesses without their consent, an issue that gained significant attention during the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike. Unions are advocating for safeguards to ensure that AI does not infringe on the rights and livelihoods of actors and other creative professionals.
As AI continues to evolve, the debate about its role in creative industries intensifies. Will AI enhance the artistry of filmmaking, or will it diminish the value of human creativity and collaboration? Kutcher’s vision of a future where anyone can create their own movie might one day come true, but only time will tell whether it will revolutionize the industry in a way that is beneficial to all involved. The tension between technological advancements and the preservation of human artistry will likely be a defining conversation for the future of Hollywood.
