Ben Affleck thinks AI won't replace actors and writers anytime soon. Speaking to CNBC, he argued that while AI can mimic Shakespeare's style, it can't create true Shakespeare.
"AI can write you an excellent imitative verse that sounds Elizabethan; it cannot write you Shakespeare," he said.
Sure. But neither can you, Ben.
I think he's missing the point.
Let's be honest. Most of what we watch isn't exactly groundbreaking. Think about your favorite sitcom—the one you put on while folding laundry or holding your kid. How many times have you heard that same laugh track? Seen that same relationship drama? Watched that same misunderstanding play out? TV and movie tropes are tropes for a reason.
Here's the thing, and for Ben this might be uncomfortable: AI might not write the next Breaking Bad, but it could probably handle the next Hallmark Christmas movie. You know the one—where the big-city lawyer returns to her small hometown and falls for the local baker. It's formulaic, predictable, and exactly what millions of people want to watch.
AI is already composing music, painting pictures, even writing news articles for some of my former employers. The line between human and machine creativity is blurring. And it's not going back to the way it was.
But it's the denial that worries me about Affleck's take. He's looking at the ceiling while ignoring the floor. Sure, AI won't write King Lear tonight, but it might write something good enough for a Tuesday night binge.
In an industry where "good enough" often equals "profitable enough," that's all it needs to do. And today's AI isn't what it will be in a couple of years.
What do you think? Should Ben Affleck—and all of Hollywood—be afraid of the big AI wolf? Maybe I'm wrong here.
And what shows do you turn to for comfort? Would it matter to you if they were AI-generated? What if some of them already are?
Let me know your thoughts and support my work at jamesbrowntv.substack.com.
On that note, I'm James Brown. And as always, be well.
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