Nicolas Cage has delivered a scathing critique of artificial intelligence, asserting that any actor allowing AI to influence their performance is heading towards "a dead end." In his view, robots are incapable of truly reflecting the human condition.
Speaking at the Saturn Awards, where he won Best Actor for his role in Dream Scenario, Cage used his acceptance speech to express his concerns. He thanked director Kristoffer Borgli, then launched into his AI commentary: "But there is another world that is also disturbing me. It’s happening right now around all of us: the new AI world. I am a big believer in not letting robots dream for us. Robots cannot reflect the human condition for us. That is a dead end if an actor lets one AI robot manipulate his or her performance even a little bit; an inch will eventually become a mile, and all integrity, purity, and truth of art will be replaced by financial interests only. We can’t let that happen."
Cage emphasized the crucial role of art in mirroring the human experience, a process he believes requires genuine human emotion and thoughtfulness – elements he argues AI lacks. He warned, "If we let robots do that, it will lack all heart and eventually lose edge and turn to mush. There will be no human response to life as we know it. It will be life as robots tell us to know it. I say, protect yourselves from AI interfering with your authentic and honest expressions."
