Tom Hanks Talks About the Changing Careers of Actors as AI and Deepfake Tech Can De-Age Them and Retain Them After Death
Deepfake and AI technology is an ever-evolving science that is changing the way movies are made. We’ve seen major changes in the way characters in movies and shows are getting de-aged, and it’s really fascinating to see it all happen before our eyes.
Academy Award-winning actor Tom Hanks (Philadelphia, Forrest Gump) chatted about the evolution from an actor’s point of view in a recent interview on The Adam Buxton Podcast (via BBC), where he explained:
“The first time we did a movie that had a huge amount of our own data locked in a computer — literally what we looked like — was a movie called ‘The Polar Express.' We saw this coming, we saw that there was going to be this ability to take zeros and ones from inside a computer and turn it into a face and a character. That has only grown a billion-fold since then and we see it everywhere.”
Hanks said that because of AI and deepfake technology, it’s now possible for him to pitch multiple movies in which he would appear as a 32 year old. Such a possibility won’t end when Hanks’ dies either.
“Anybody can now recreate themselves at any age they are by way of AI or deep fake technology. I could be hit by a bus tomorrow and that’s it, but performances can go on and on and on and on. Outside the understanding of AI and deepfake, there’ll be nothing to tell you that it’s not me and me alone. And it’s going to have some degree of lifelike quality. That’s certainly an artistic challenge but it’s also a legal one.”
The Oscar winner said that “all of the guilds, all of the agencies, and all of the legal firms” are currently in discussion on “the legal ramifications of my face and my voice and everybody else’s being our intellectual property.” Hanks added:
“Without a doubt people will be able to tell [that it’s AI], but the question is will they care? There are some people that won’t care, that won’t make that delineation.”
It seems weird to picture a future where we see actors in films solely recreated instead of seeing them perform live. It makes sense for movies like Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, which is relying heavily on its de-aging tech, as it has a character that has been with the franchise over several decades. It’s a tool that lends to the story. But will we see this be used for less relevant purposes? I guess we will just have to wait and see.