Guillermo Del Toro Would “Rather Die” Than Stoop To Using Generative AI
Director Guillermo Del Toro is among the chorus of creators and performers who are speaking out against the advancements in generative AI and its implications for the film industry.
Many fear it will replace everything, including writers and actors, but Del Toro says he will stick with the tried and true methods of filmmaking that got him this far. Also, at his age, he would rather not be forced to learn a new program.
“AI, particularly generative AI, I am not interested, nor will I ever be interested. I’m 61, and I hope to be able to remain uninterested in using it at all until I croak,” he said to NPR. “The other day, somebody wrote me an email, said, ‘What is your stance on AI?’ And my answer was very short. I said, ‘I’d rather die.’”
Del Toro was inspired by the advent of AI when making his version of Frankenstein, but not the technology itself. He zeroed in more on what he considers the “arrogance” and “natural stupidity” of its innovators, and wanted Oscar Isaac’s performance as the good Dr. to reflect his concerns. “My concern is not Artificial Intelligence, but natural stupidity,” said Del Toro.
“I think that’s what drives most of the world’s worst features. But I did want it to have the arrogance of Victor be similar in some ways to the tech bros. He’s kind of blind, creating something without considering the consequences, and I think we have to take a pause and consider where we’re going,” he added.
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His adaptation of the Mary Shelley’s timeless tale of terror could be read as a warning for the AI chapter of the Information Age, and it could stand above the rest to become eerily prophetic, but his message may already be too late.
While social media is being fooled by videos that look more real by the day, Hollywood agencies saw nothing but possibilities when Tilly Norwood went online to the shocked sensibilities of real actors and models. That’s a Rubicon crossed and the world is only seeing the first wave of what AI can do.
As voiceover talent agent Wes Stevens explained to Backstage almost two years ago, AI has exciting potential, but we won’t see scary results until the generative version gives way to the general upgrade.
“Generative AI as it exists today, on the voice levels, is really basic,” said Stevens. “I’ve seen it demo’d. There’s something there. But can it do what voiceover artists do [for example]? 100% absolutely not.”
He added, “[Artificial General Intelligence] [would] create a whole other rush. It’s going to be very different than generative. I’m not scared of it. As a society and as individual industries, we have to be smart about it.”
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