Sean Penn didn't mince words in expressing his thoughts about the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike. The "I Am Sam" actor is against using artificial intelligence (AI) in the film industry.
Sean Penn Asks For Virtual Daughters in Exchange For Facial, Voice Scans
Penn is among the most popular actors in his generation. He catapulted to fame following his film "Dead Man Walking" in 1995.
In a recent interview, he spoke about his stand on the ongoing SAG-AFTRA strike, where the Writers Guild members and Screen Actors Guild (SAG) members complained about pay concerns, working conditions, and the use of AI in the industry.
Penn proposed a strange trade that raised several eyebrows. He suggested that he and a camera crew could meet with Hollywood executives in a room, and he would agree to give them his scans and voice data in exchange for a virtual replica of their daughters. The 63-year-old actor added that he would invite his friends, and they would do whatever they wanted at a virtual party. He then asked if the idea was cool.
He acknowledged that it was "an indecent proposal" and not about business. He added that it's insulting and a real expose of morality or lack thereof.
Penn's words received mixed responses. It even attracted an intense backlash, with many calling him weird. However, many also said they understood his point.
One said Penn raised an "unsettling but thought-provoking point about the ethical implications of AI and data collection." The netizen acknowledged Penn's concern, noting that the topic needs to be discussed.
A different user said Penn's analogy works. However, he could reportedly have done it in an effective and less creepy way.
James Cameron More Scared Than Excited About AI
Penn wasn't the only person from the Hollywood industry who recently spoke about AI. While Penn is against AI, James Cameron uses it in his films. However, the "Avatar" director warned about the tendency of AI to fool people, noting that "we can't trust what we see" due to deepfakes.
According to Cameron, technology has made it more difficult to believe our sources, and it will continue to be more difficult as time goes on since the "looks are compelling." As a result, it may be increasingly difficult to identify the sources in the future unless one is physically present.
He also cited Socrates and his conception of reality in Plato's "Allegory of the Cave" to warn the people that we won't be able to discern if our feeds are accurate in the future.
Deepfake employs two algorithms - a generator and a discriminator - to create and perfect fake content. The generator produces the initial fake digital content using a training data set depending on the desired outcome, while the discriminator assesses how true or false the original version of the material is. Repeating this process, the discriminator and the generator can find better flaws that the generator should correct.
The largest danger comes from deepfakes' ability to spread false material that appears to be from reputable sources. For instance, in 2022, a deepfake movie was released that showed the president of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, pleading with his forces to surrender.
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