Nicolas Cage Slams AI Acting: 'Robots Can't Capture Human Essence'

Nicolas Cage has expressed strong reservations about the use of artificial intelligence in acting, warning that it represents a "dead end" for performers. During his acceptance speech for the best actor award at the Saturn Awards for his role in Dream Scenario, Cage took the opportunity to voice his concerns about AI.

"I have to thank Kristoffer Borgli for his direction, his writing, his editing, and for creating this incredibly disturbing but hilarious world that he dreamt up," Cage began. "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 role of art, including film performances, in mirroring the human condition through a thoughtful and emotional process of recreation. He argued that robots are incapable of this, stating, "A robot can’t do that. 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."

Cage's sentiments echo those of other actors, particularly in the voice acting community, where AI has been used to recreate entire performances, even in high-profile video games. Voice actors like Ned Luke from Grand Theft Auto 5 and Doug Cockle from The Witcher have spoken out against AI, with Luke criticizing a chatbot that used his voice and Cockle describing AI as "inevitable" but "dangerous," suggesting that such technologies are effectively robbing voice actors of income.

Filmmakers have also weighed in on the topic, though their opinions are not always aligned. Tim Burton has called AI-generated art "very disturbing," while Zack Snyder, director of Justice League and Rebel Moon, believes filmmakers should embrace AI rather than resist it.