Affleck Slams AI Hype: 'It's Really Sh*tty' at Creative Work

The Oscar-winning actor and director didn't mince words when discussing artificial intelligence's role in entertainment. During his appearance on Joe Rogan's podcast, Affleck delivered a blunt assessment of AI's creative capabilities while promoting his latest action project with longtime collaborator Matt Damon.

"We've been spending time looking at this. My belief is it's sort of like, 'What's going to happen with electricity?' Well, a lot of sh*t's going to happen with electricity. Some of it's going to be good. Some of it's going to change stuff," Affleck explained.

The Gone Girl star took direct aim at popular AI writing tools. "You try to get ChatGPT or Claude or Gemini to write you something, it's really sh*tty. And it's sh*tty because, by its nature, it goes to the mean, to the average, and it's not reliable. I actually don't think it's going to be able to write anything meaningful, and in particular, that it's going to be making movies from whole cloth, like Tilly Norwood – that's bullsh*t. I don't think that's gonna happen."

Industry Fears vs Reality

Affleck addressed widespread anxiety about AI replacing creative professionals. "We have the sense there's this existential dread that it's gonna wipe everything out. But that runs counter to what history seems to show… I think a lot of that rhetoric comes from people trying to justify valuations around companies."

His comments come as Hollywood grapples with rapid AI adoption. Last year brought major changes to film and TV production, with streaming giant Netflix conducting various experiments and studios exploring cost-cutting measures through automation.

AI's Mixed Reception in Entertainment

The entertainment industry's relationship with artificial intelligence remains complicated. The debut of Tilly Norwood, billed as the first AI actress, generated mostly negative feedback from audiences and industry professionals alike.

Some major studios have pulled back from AI initiatives due to mounting copyright lawsuits. Others continue investing heavily, viewing the technology as a way to slash production budgets. Disney recently signed a substantial agreement allowing AI-generated content featuring their popular characters and franchises.

Oscar season controversies also highlighted the ongoing debate about AI's place in filmmaking. The technology's ultimate impact on artistic expression and the creative process remains unclear as the industry continues adapting to rapid technological change.