Ben Affleck Blasts AI Hype in Hollywood: 'It's All Nonsense'
Ben Affleck is pushing back against the growing panic over artificial intelligence in Hollywood, calling the fears over AI's impact on the film industry overblown. He argues AI will serve as a tool, not a threat.
Ben Affleck is not buying into the widespread anxiety about artificial intelligence taking over Hollywood. During a recent appearance on the Joe Rogan Experience podcast, a segment that quickly caught fire online, Affleck made it clear he thinks the panic is overblown. He dismissed the idea that AI poses an existential risk to the entertainment industry, bluntly calling it
“bullshit.”
Affleck explained his skepticism by pointing to the current limitations of AI writing tools.
“What I see is that if, for example, you try to get Chat GPT or Claude or Gemini to write you something, it’s really shitty,”
he said.
“And it’s shitty because, by its nature, it goes to the mean, to the average, and it’s not reliable.”
He argued that, despite all the talk about AI’s potential, the technology simply isn’t capable of producing anything truly original or meaningful. He specifically dismissed the notion that AI could create entire movies from scratch, referencing the case of Tilly Norwood, the first fully AI-generated actor signed to an agency, which sparked controversy last year.
AI as a Filmmaking Tool, Not a Replacement
Affleck’s take stands in stark contrast to much of the industry, which has been vocal about the dangers of AI. He insisted that the technology is not advancing as rapidly as some claim. Instead, he sees AI becoming just another tool for filmmakers, not a force that will wipe out creative jobs.
“The technology is not progressing in the way they presented it,”
he said, adding that AI will eventually settle into a supporting role rather than upending the industry.
He also suggested that much of the fear surrounding AI is being driven by companies looking to boost their future valuations. Affleck pointed out that the latest version of Chat GPT is only marginally better than its predecessor, yet it consumes far more electricity and data.
“Chat GPT 5 is only about 25 percent better than Chat GPT 4, and costs about four times as much in the way of electricity and data.”
In his view, the impact of AI is already starting to plateau as its limitations become more apparent.
Hollywood’s Human Touch Remains Essential
Affleck believes that, at its core, the film industry will always depend on human creativity and artistry. He noted that most people are using AI for mundane tasks, not for high-level creative work.
“Hollywood is always going to fundamentally rely on the human, artistic aspects,”
he said, emphasizing that AI won’t replace the essential role of people in filmmaking.
His comments come at a time when other actors are taking steps to protect themselves from AI. For example, Matthew McConaughey recently trademarked his famous catchphrase
“Alright, alright, alright”
to guard against AI deepfakes, even though he’s an investor in a company that clones celebrity voices. Despite the growing debate, Affleck remains firm in his belief that AI will not upend the industry as many fear.