Lisa Kudrow reacts to the use of AI in Tom Hanks' movie 'Here'
Lisa Kudrow expressed her concerns about the use of artificial intelligence in the new film "Here" starring Tom Hanks.
During her recent appearance on Dax Shepard's "Armchair Expert" podcast, the actress discussed Robert Zemeckis' film use of AI technology to de-age its lead actors including Hanks and co-star Robin Wright, allowing them to appear younger in certain scenes.
"It's going through time," Kudrow said of the film. "They shot it and they could actually shoot the scene and then look at the playback of them as younger and it's ready for them to see."
"All I got from that was, this is an endorsement for AI and oh my God," she added.
Kudrow also questioned the impact it had on the acting profession, particularly for emerging talents.
"It's not like it's going to ruin everything... What will there be left for, forget actors, but what about up-and-coming actors?" she said. "They'll just be licensing and recycling."
"What work will there be for human beings?" she asked before continuing, "And then what, so there'll be some kind of living stipend for people so we don't have to work? How can it possibly be enough."
ABC News has reached out to Hanks' representative for comment.
The de-aging technology used in "Here" was developed by Metaphysic, a visual effects company specializing in real-time face-swapping and aging effects.
In 2023, Metaphysic, known for its Metaphysic Live platform, announced a partnership with talent agency CAA to create generative AI tools and services, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
In a statement to the outlet at the time, Zemeckis said he has long drawn to the technology saying that it "helps me to tell a story."
"With 'Here,' the film simply wouldn't work without our actors seamlessly transforming into younger versions of themselves. Metaphysic's AI tools do exactly that, in ways that were previously impossible," the statement read. "Having tested every flavor of face replacement and de-aging technology available today, Metaphysic are clearly the global leaders in feature-quality AI content and the perfect choice for this incredibly challenging, emotional film."
The movie's production supervisor Kevin Baillie also praised the technology.
"It is incredible to see Metaphysic's AI-generated content flawlessly integrated into a shot live on set," he said in a statement at the time. "The actors can even use the technology as a 'youth mirror' — testing out acting choices for their younger selves in real-time."
