Actor Tom Hanks has become the latest celebrity to speak out about the possibilities that artificial intelligence (AI) offers. How does he think that this could change the future of movie-making and what other changes can we expect to see introduced to our entertainment options thanks to this technology?
The Variety and Personalisation Possibilities
AI could be used to personalise everything that we do, from tailoring streaming service menus to even offering completely unique movies. While Hanks never touched on exactly this subject, imagine that you wanted to see a bespoke version of one of his classic movies that takes into account your current interests. AI could create a unique version of Forrest Gump where the hero appears playing for your favourite sports team or visiting a destination of your choice.
Another area where we could see a positive impact is the online slots industry, where many diverse themes such as ancient empires and wild animals are used to expand the appeal of these games to different players. The current selection is broad, with the latest releases including Lamp of Infinity and Emperor of Rome, but AI raises the possibility of customizing the basic gameplay to include any symbols and features that we want to see.
This could also lead to us creating our own TV series. Perhaps you’ve enjoyed watching The Last of Us but found that after a few episodes the scripted episodes took it in a direction that didn’t particularly interest you. Once the streaming service knows your preferences, AI could adapt future episodes so that it becomes darker and gorier or lighter and more inspirational.
What did Tom Hanks Say?
The actor pointed out that his on-screen career could continue forever if AI were to be used to recreate his image. Now 66 years old, Hanks revealed that there is already a massive amount of data on him stored on computer so that film-makers could create completely new movies showing Hank still in his 30s. However, he said that industry insiders are well aware of the possible legal issues and are currently discussing what should happen next to protect the image rights of actors.
We’ll soon get to see one of the most interesting uses of AI to date, as it was used in the upcoming Indiana Jones movie subtitled The Dial of Destiny. For the opening sequences where they needed to show Indiana in 1944, they used older material featuring a young Harrison Ford as the basis of new de-aged footage shot with the 80-year-old actor. This helps to show us the kind of changes Hanks is talking about, but it seems that he was also thinking of actors appearing in totally new productions that they might not even know about.
What Happens Next?
In terms of movies, Tom Hanks has suggested that the industry is working to see how to deal with the implementation of AI. However, it’s clear that the process of integrating AI into the entertainment industry is already underway and this is something that we can expect to see more of in the near future.