Nothing is more frustrating to me than when I put time and effort into an assignment while others take easy shortcuts. I spend hours researching reliable sources. I check grammar, spelling, and fluidity. I gain enough knowledge to feel familiar with whatever topic I’m covering, so that when I turn in my work, it’s a reflection of what I’ve learned. Then, all the effort that I’ve put in is lumped together with people who simply typed the criteria into ChatGPT and watched the assignment write itself. Even more soul-crushing is when they get the same grade or do better than I without even doing the work themselves.
As of recently, AI has progressed beyond just classrooms. At this year’s Oscars, many films nominated were assisted by AI in the production process. One of these films was The Brutalist, in which the lead actor, Adrien Brody, took home the award of Best Actor, despite using AI to create his character’s accent. One of the actors he was nominated against was Timothee Chalamet for A Complete Unknown, the story of Bob Dylan.
When Chalamet lost to Brody for Best Actor, the story gained a lot of attention from the media. Many people were upset that Brody was awarded Best Actor because AI was used to create his Hungarian accent in The Brutalist.
While Brody relied on AI, Chalamet hired a plethora of coaches to help him embody the role of Dylan. Prior to filming, Chalamet spent five years studying Dylan. He learned to play guitar and the harmonica, as well as working with vocal coaches to sing and talk like Dylan. He imitated Dylan’s mannerisms, and he even stepped into the life of the prominent musician by visiting his childhood home.
After the Oscars on March 2, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences officially came out with a rule regarding the use of AI in films, on April 21. The rule states that the use of AI tools will neither help nor harm a film’s chances of being nominated. This means that there is an even playing field for all movies, regardless of how much AI is in them.
In the film industry, an Oscar is the highest award an actor can get. Its purpose is to recognize someone for their outstanding performance and contribution to a film. So, in what world is it justifiable to judge a real person against someone assisted by artificial intelligence?
The involvement of AI in films ruins the authenticity and reduces the threshold of skill one must have to pursue a career in acting. Even though Brody displayed talented acting in The Brutalist, all aspects of his acting were not authentic. He could not achieve an exceptional Hungarian accent without the assistance of AI.
If AI is allowed to trickle further into the film industry, it could begin to take away jobs from talented people such as animators and script writers. A study by the Los Angeles Times found that as of now, AI has already affected 204,000 jobs of people in the entertainment industry. The affected people have had AI assist them or even deduct tasks from them. AI has already assisted in some films script writing, visual effects, and even casting.
Actors like Chalamet who immerse themselves in a role and personally get to know their character deserve more merit and recognition. Awards should be given to those who have worked hard to earn them, not those who take shortcuts using AI.
