The Future of Film: Can AI Replace Human Creativity?
The COVID-19 pandemic has brought about a lot of changes in the film industry, and one of the most significant questions being asked is whether there should be a sequel to Steven Soderbergh’s 2011 thriller, Contagion. However, screenwriter Scott Z. Burns is more concerned about the impact of AI on the creative process.
The Rise of AI in Film
Burns has always been skeptical about the idea of a Contagion sequel, and instead, he’s exploring the concept of AI as the next big threat to humanity. In his new Audible Podcast series, What Could Go Wrong?, he delves into the world of generative AI and its potential to replace human writers. The series features interactions with AI-generated scripts, as well as insights from experts in the field, including Soderbergh.
The Ambivalence of AI
Burns admits to feeling "openly ambivalent" about AI, seeing it as both a useful tool and a potential threat to creativity. While some of his colleagues view AI as a "crime against nature," Burns is more nuanced in his approach. He believes that AI can be a helpful research instrument, but he’s also concerned about the potential consequences of relying too heavily on it.
The Role of AI in Writing
One of the writers featured in the podcast series is Nick Bilton, a former New York Times tech journalist who has fully embraced AI in his work. Bilton uses a team of AI bots to help him generate ideas and fix mistakes, raising questions about the role of human writers in the age of AI. Burns wonders what we lose by using AI in the creative process, and whether it’s possible to truly replace the human touch.
The Digital Writer
The podcast series features a digital writer named Lexter, who was created using AI algorithms. Lexter’s assessments of films and writers are based on his training data, which includes the entire internet. While Lexter’s insights are often spot on, they also raise concerns about the potential homogenization of creative content. If AI writers like Lexter can generate scripts and stories based on popular trends, what happens to originality and innovation?
The Risks of AI-Generated Content
Burns is concerned that relying too heavily on AI could lead to a loss of creative risk-taking and innovation. If algorithms are only able to generate content based on past successes, what happens to the next big breakthrough or unexpected hit? The idea that a machine could be responsible for creating the next blockbuster film is both exciting and terrifying, and it raises important questions about the role of human creativity in the age of AI.
