Amitabh Bachchan and veteran actress Jaya Bachchan attended the Symbiosis Film Festival at Symbiosis International University in Pune, where he spoke to students about technological advancements and artificial intelligence (AI) in the film industry. The actor expressed concerns about the rapid evolution of technology, citing the growing use of AI face mapping.
According to an ANI report, Mr.Bachchan spoke candidly about the prevalence of AI face mapping, claiming that everyone in the industry is now subjected to it. He revealed that entire bodies are being face-mapped and saved for possible use at any time. The actor recalled a recent demonstration by a Mumbai studio, in which face mapping was shown on Hollywood veteran Tom Hanks, depicting both his current appearance and a younger version.
Bachchan drew attention to the concerns raised in Hollywood, where artists and writers reportedly went on strike because producers and directors claimed ownership of face mapping and the written content considered their property for unlimited use. The actor warned of a future scenario in which institutions such as Symbiosis would prefer AI representation of Bachchan over the actors himself.
Bachchan’s concerns shed light on the ethical and practical implications of artificial intelligence technologies in the film industry, particularly in terms of digital representation. The veteran actor’s remarks highlight an ongoing industry debate over the ownership and use of AI-generated content.
In addition to discussing technological challenges, Bachchan addressed criticism faced by the film industry for its claimed impact on societal morals. He contended that cinema is inspired by society rather than shaping it, emphasizing that stories and films are illustrations of experiences observed in nature and everyday life.
The actor also shared personal anecdotes, recalling how his late father, Harivansh Rai Bachchan, found comfort in Hindi cinema, particularly the concept of poetic justice as depicted in films. Throughout his final years, my father would watch a movie every evening. I asked him one day, “You watch these films every evening, aren’t you bored? What do you find in Hindi cinema? He replied, “I came to see poetic justice delivered in three hours.” Poetic justice will be hard to see in our lifetimes if not multiple lifetimes.
Mr. Bachchan also praised regional cinema, particularly Malayalam and Tamil films, for their authenticity but rejected the notion that South cinema is superior to Hindi cinema.