Jodie Foster has sparked intrigue by hinting that one of the year’s major films may not have been crafted by a human writer.
The esteemed actress and director joined the Aspen Festival of Ideas for a session entitled “Who Owns The Future of Hollywood” with former Sony Pictures CEO Michael Lynton. Their conversation delved into the expanding influence of artificial intelligence in the film industry.
Foster used Apple’s blockbuster film F1, featuring Brad Pitt, as an illustration of what she suspects might be AI-generated filmmaking. She humorously suggested that the movie might have been computer-written.
“I don’t say this disparagingly, how could I? This movie went on to make millions of dollars. But I look at a movie like F1, and I’m like ‘F1 was made by AI’,” she remarked, laughing.
“Wasn’t it? I mean the structure was exactly the structure that you would learn in school.”
She continued her thoughts.
“The actors say the lines exactly the way it would be written if a computer was writing exactly what would be the right thing for that time. And they were able to dominate the technology to make something big and beautiful and potentially where a lot of the information comes from other places,” she observed.
Since its release, F1 has grossed $346 million worldwide, snagging four Oscar nominations, including one for best picture, and winning the award for best sound.
The conversation also touched on broader implications. Lynton asked Foster about the potential impact of AI on the film industry’s future, including job security.
“AI is one more giant step forward into changing the industry,” Foster noted, referencing how CGI and digital tools already altered filmmaking methods before AI’s rise.
When questioned whether AI might eventually replace actors and writers, Foster acknowledged the current shifts occurring in the industry.
“We do replace people,” she stated, noting that studios are saving costs by digitally replicating background actors instead of employing extras for crowd scenes.
“We’re getting rid of a lot of jobs and hopefully, things like unions will be able to come in and say, you can use my actor 20 times, but you’re going to pay him 20 times. And I think that’s fair,” she added.
Despite her concerns, Foster is not entirely opposed to AI, asserting that it has a role when used wisely.
She highlighted the practical benefits of AI in tasks such as pre-visualizing scenes, saying, “What we all would love is that filmmakers would be able to dominate AI, and never lose sight of that.”
Foster shared her experience with her latest film, My Private Life, where AI assisted in creating a dream-like sequence that, while nonsensical, worked creatively.
“If we are able to dominate AI consistently over time, we will be able to make things that reflect us, and we can make things better,” she stated.
UNILAD has reached out to Jerry Bruckheimer, Apple, and Brad Pitt for their comments.