"Friends" star Lisa Kudrow criticized actor Tom Hanks' new film, saying it's an "endorsement for AI."
Directed by Robert Zemeckis, "Here" tells the story of multiple generations of couples and families inhabiting the same home over the course of a century. The film, in which Hanks star alongside Robin Wright, heavily relies on an AI-powered tool called Metaphysic Live to digitally de-age actors and perform face-swapping, The Guardian noted.
"All I got from [the film] was, this is an endorsement for AI and oh, my God," Kudrow said on Dax Shepard's "Armchair Expert" podcast. "It's not like, 'Oh, it's going to ruin everything', but what will be left? Forget actors, what about up-and-coming actors? They'll just be licensing and recycling."
Commenting on the use of AI tools further, Kudrow wondered, "What work will there be for human beings" in the future?
"Then what?" she asked. "There'll be some kind of living stipend for people, [as] you won't have to work? How can it possibly be enough?"
Zemeckis previously endorsed Metaphysic Live, saying: "Having tested every flavor of face replacement and de-aging technology available today, Metaphysic are clearly the global leaders in feature-quality AI content."
The film's production visual effects supervisor Kevin Baillie also praised the company.
"It is incredible to see Metaphysic's AI-generated content flawlessly integrated into a shot live on set," he said. "The actors can even use the technology as a 'youth mirror' – testing out acting choices for their younger selves in real time."
Concerns about the uncontrolled use of AI were among the issues that fueled the writers' and actors' strikes. Safeguards against AI exploitation became a central part of the agreements that ended both disputes.
However, some remain skeptical about these protections, with "Stranger Things" actor Matthew Modine comparing the situation to "the AI tsunami crashing upon the shores of the entertainment industry."