Tom Holland Says AI Can’t Replace Human Creativity Because “It Doesn’t Have A Soul”
Artificial intelligence continues to spark debate across Hollywood, with filmmakers, writers, actors, and studios all trying to figure out what its role will be in the future of entertainment.
While some see AI as a tool that could reshape the industry in major ways, Tom Holland doesn’t seem concerned about it taking over the creative side of filmmaking.
The actor recently shared his thoughts on the subject during an appearance on Spain’s El Hormiguero, where he explained why he believes artists and storytellers have something AI simply can’t replicate.
Holland said: “Creativity is safe from AI because creativity has to do with the human experience. It’s about emotions, it’s about understanding one another.”
For Holland, the issue comes down to something far more personal than data processing or technological capability. He believes creativity is rooted in emotions and lived experiences, things that machines can analyze but never truly feel.
Expanding on that idea, he continued: “AI can sift through data, but it can’t understand people’s emotions. It doesn’t understand the difference between being happy and being sad.
“The way artists paint, it’s not about what they’re copying, it’s about expressing themselves, so I feel protected. [AI] doesn’t have a soul.”
It’s an interesting perspective at a time when many people in Hollywood are questioning how far AI should be allowed to go. The technology is already being used in various areas of production and development, and conversations about intellectual property, job security, and creative ownership remain front and center throughout the industry.
The discussion has also reached the political arena. SAG-AFTRA recently endorsed the Trump administration’s AI policy framework, which encourages Congress to pursue legislation focused on parental controls, intellectual property protections, First Amendment safeguards, AI workforce development, expanded energy solutions for data centers, and the removal of legal barriers that could limit AI innovation.
Meanwhile, earlier this month, President Trump signed an executive order establishing a voluntary framework that would allow the U.S. government access to new AI models for a 30-day review period before they are publicly released.
As AI technology continues to evolve, opinions across Hollywood remain divided. Some creatives see it as a useful tool that can streamline parts of the filmmaking process, while others worry about how it could impact jobs and artistic ownership. Holland falls firmly on the side of believing that the heart of creativity remains uniquely human.
His argument taps into a larger question that Hollywood is still trying to answer: can technology imitate creativity, or is there something fundamentally human about art that can never be recreated?
If Holland is right, storytellers may have less to fear from AI than many people think. After all, as he sees it, the one thing audiences connect with most is genuine human emotion, and that’s something a machine still can’t manufacture.