Role of Actors Post AI: Merely Faces of Marketing Campaigns?

If we were told just a few years ago that Amitabh Bachchan would thank us for buying household items and groceries, we would call that idea ludicrous. But today, that has become reality with PhonePe using the actor’s voice to validate payments on their smart speakers. This intervention in utilising Artificial Intelligence in marketing and filmmaking is a result of the recent technological advancements around AI and its subsequent popularisation. In a world moving towards utilising advancements such as generating realistic digital human images and synthesising celebrity voices, the role of actors has been brought into question. Could such a day come when a Tom Hanks movie could be made without Tom Hanks in it? 

Actors have always been utilised by brands to market their products, owing to the ethos that comes with their stardom and fame. Actors today are pressured to put on a persona to please the public eye, performing just as much off-screen as they do on it. We have seen countless cases of actors falling from grace after controversies, leading to the brands they represent or movies that they are part of taking a hit. With such public lives and personas to maintain, the role of an actor clearly has come to be that of a marketable person on top of that of a creative or artist. 

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Rise of AI in Filmmaking: Ethical Considerations

With mammoth blockbuster films such as Avatar: The Way of Water and Disney’s The Jungle Book utilising AI in some capacity of their production, the advent of integrating AI in filmmaking has brought drastic changes to how a movie is conceptualised and produced. Developments in the fields of Visual Effects (VFX) and Computer-Generated Imagery (CGI) have paved the way for AI integration. We see this operational in AI deepfakes that have entered not just the field of filmmaking but social media at large. These are digitally manipulated images that allow for a person’s likeliness to be superimposed on another or are even capable of creating images of human subjects that do not exist. The utilisation of such techniques can be seen in filmmaking, with examples such as in Fast and Furious 7, where the actor portraying the protagonist passed away and they used CGI imagery on the actors’ brothers to complete shooting the rest of the film. 

These techniques, although efficient and far cheaper than traditional modes of production, raise questions about the role of actors in a film, particularly extras who could be at risk of replacement. Further, unrestricted access to data collected of actors’ likeliness could raise concerns about unethical and potentially harmful manipulation of the images. The American actors’ union went on strike in 2023, citing these very reasons, but ultimately reached a settlement to allow data collected of actors to be utilised only on the specific project that they have been contracted for. Additional usage of the data would call for extra compensation, along with the prior written consent of the actors involved.

A Movie Without Actors?

Although the technology required to pull off a full-fledged film with its main cast being artificially generated is far off, it still raises reservations over what an actor would be needed for if such a day arrives. Would actors be necessary only to promote and advertise the movies they are part of? Would an actor’s primary job then be that of a marketer, making themselves a product of consumption for the masses? With social media and increasing marketing campaigns that are written into their contracts, actors today are forced to live out their lives in public. The added pressure of AI replacing their jobs only adds to this need for actors to turn into marketing figures. 

One potential future scenario could be of actors continuing in the industry as advisory figures. Building the technology required to accurately portray and generate human emotions is a difficult task, and the experience of seasoned actors would prove essential in bringing it to life. They could lend their expertise and creative knowledge to help craft AI-generated performances that are as driven and complex as human performances are. They would then take on dual roles of consulting on set while simultaneously being present as marketers of the movie, helping with the creative production of the movie as well as with its sales. 

Where is the Industry Headed?

Many experts claim that even with such industry-changing technology, it becomes imperative to have human actors, as the nuances and subtleties of the human experience will never be portrayed by technology with depth. In such circumstances, the actor would be deemed to put up their performance, and digital enhancements and tweaks could be added in post-production to help bring the characters and story to life. This form of hybrid acting with AI utilised only to aid the acting could add layers to the characters and help directors cut down on budget and shoot more efficiently. 

It seems inevitable today to recognise that AI is here to stay and will find ways to integrate itself into every field. The role of professionals then becomes to utilise AI as a tool to enhance their work rather than view it as shorthand replacements for them. As the future lies uncertain, all emphasis must be placed on asking questions about how best to utilise this technology in order to minimise ethical concerns and help craft movies without risking human authenticity and originality. As we steer through the uncharted waters of AI, the human soul must steer the course and navigate the timeless currents of creativity and human ingenuity.