Nicolas Cage is 'terrified' that artificial intelligence might one day 'steal' his body

[Enter Stage Rite]

Nicolas Cage, the actor who’s brought us everything from manic treasure hunters to scenery-chewing villains, is locked in a new kind of duel—this time, against the all-powerful force of artificial intelligence (AI). In a recent interview with The New Yorker, Cage threw down the gauntlet, expressing his fear that AI could be used to “steal” his likeness and manipulate it in the digital Wild West.

 

It seems getting scanned for upcoming projects (details under wraps for now) got him thinking about the potential dark side of technology. "They’re just going to steal my body and do whatever they want with it via digital AI," he declared, clearly spooked by the possibilities.

 

The 60-year-old actor worries that his digital double could be trotted out long after he’s said his final “farewell.” This raises some thorny ethical questions—who controls our digital likenesses after we’re gone, and can we really give consent in such a scenario?

 

Cage however, is no stranger to the AI pool. In the mind-bending meta-comedy The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent, a fictionalized version of the star was digitally de-aged using AI.

 

 

Back then, the prospect filled him with “absolute horror,” according to the interview.

 

Cage isn’t alone in his concerns. A growing number of Hollywood A-listers, including Scarlett Johansson, are voicing their reservations about AI’s potential to mess with their identities. 

 

• https://www.newyorker.com/culture/the-new-yorker-interview/nicolas-cage-is-still-evolving 
• https://futurism.com/the-byte/nicolas-cage-ai-steal-body 
• https://variety.com/2024/film/news/nicolas-cage-terrified-ai-body-scan-spider-man-noir-1236062255/ 
• https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/nicolas-cage-ai-longlegs-b2576618.html 

 

 

Image: Cellai Stefano | Dreamstime.com