Tom Hanks Envisions Eternal Cinematic Presence Through Revolutionary AI Technology

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Esteemed actor Tom Hanks has posited a bold notion, that even in the event of his demise, his on-screen presence could linger indefinitely, courtesy of advanced artificial intelligence (AI). During a candid conversation in the concluding episode of "The Adam Buxton Podcast", the legendary performer suggested an intriguing scenario.

He proposed that he could, hypothetically, showcase a sequence of seven films wherein he perennially retains the guise of a 32-year-old, enduring until the end of days. “Anybody can now recreate themselves at any age they are by way of AI or deep fake technology.

I could be hit by a bus tomorrow and that’s it, but performances can go on and on and on and on,” Hanks said. “Outside the understanding of AI and deepfake, there’ll be nothing to tell you that it’s not me and me alone.

And it’s going to have some degree of lifelike quality. That’s certainly an artistic challenge but it’s also a legal one”.

The Ethical Implications and Challenges

Reacting to Hanks' audacious proposition, Buxton suggested that discerning audiences would be capable of distinguishing an AI-generated Hanks from the actual person.

While Hanks conceded that his AI counterpart might not replicate his current performances with perfect fidelity, he questioned whether the audience would truly take issue with this. “Without a doubt people will be able to tell [that it’s AI], but the question is will they care? There are some people that won’t care, that won’t make that delineation”.

Hanks revealed that the task of generating an AI version of himself would be considerably simplified owing to the extensive recordings of his appearance and movements captured during the production of the 2004 film "The Polar Express".

In the same vein, Hanks highlighted that the rapid progression of AI technology is prompting film agents to reevaluate contractual clauses in order to safeguard actors' personas as intellectual property. As of now, Tom Hanks is engrossed in the promotion of his inaugural novel, aptly titled "The Making of Another Major Motion Picture Remekpiece".

The actor's captivating discourse on the potential of AI in cinema, however, suggests that his creative vision reaches far beyond his current literary pursuits.