Ashton Kutcher addresses the backlash that he has faced since claiming artificial intelligence can replace many roles in the entertainment business.
Kutcher spoke last week with former Google CEO Eric Schmidt in Los Angeles at the Berggruen Salon and praised OpenAI’s Sora, an OpenAI generative video tool.
He told Variety that he had a beta of the game. “It’s amazing,” he added.
You can create any footage you like. You can make videos of 10, 15 seconds that look real. It makes mistakes. “It still doesn’t understand physics,” said he. “… However, if you compare the Sora generation to that of a year ago, there are huge leaps. There’s even footage that you could use for a big motion picture or television show.
What is Artificial Intelligence (AI)?
Kutcher pointed out, too, that AI-generated production could reduce costs.
Why would you shoot an establishing image of a home for a TV show when you can create it for only $100? He explained that to go out and film it would cost thousands of dollars. “Action scenes where I jump off this building don’t need a stuntman, it can be done [with AI].
The 46-year-old also stated that the results will be even more impressive as technology and programs continue to improve.
You’ll be able to render an entire movie. “You’ll simply come up with a movie idea, it will then write the script. Then you’ll enter the script into the Video Generator, and it’ll generate the movie,” said he, Variety reported. “Instead of watching a movie that someone else made, I can generate and then watch mine,” he said.
He added that in order to achieve a “catalyzing “water cooler” moment with audiences participating in a shared experience, the “bar is going to need to be raised a lot, because why would you watch my film when you could watch your own?”
Kutcher received backlash online from commenters.
Imagine being Ashton Kutcher and walking onto a movie set after advocating that all the crew members lose their jobs and go hungry. “Gutsy choice, bud,” said one person on X (formerly Twitter).
Another said: “You could make an Ashton Kutcher film with OpenAI’s Sora but it wouldn’t be a good one.”
Kutcher addressed his remarks to X after the backlash.
“I don’t think AI will replace film or creative arts.” We should be able to use this amazing tool to improve our efficiency and productivity as artists. We use Avid, Final Draft, Greenscreen, Led Bg, and other technical tools in the same manner. It will be disastrous to act as if it didn’t exist,” he wrote.
“Jobs are changing, to deny that is to turn a blind eye to facts. There used to be someone who taped together the film. “There used to be someone who checked the gate,” said he. “We must be prepared for what is coming and know the consequences.”
One person pointed out that Kutcher owns a venture capitalist company that invested heavily in AI during the initial backlash.
I don’t think AI will replace the film industry or creative arts. It’s an amazing tool that we should learn to work with to become more prolific and efficient as artist. In the same way we use Avid, final draft, greenscreen, Led bg and other technical tools. Acting like it…
— ashton kutcher (@aplusk) June 6, 2024
They wrote: “The fact Ashton Kutcher owns a venture capitalist company that invests in AI at the moment should have been disclosed.” He’s not talking as a filmmaker (because he has never been a writer, director, DP, or editor), he is speaking as an investment salesman.
Variety reports that Kutcher co-founded Sound Venture with music manager Guy Oseary, which included OpenAI, Anthropic, and Stability AI as part of its portfolio last year.
