Zack Snyder keeps ChatGPT on his phone and still says humans should make the shots — Tom Cruise agrees
Cruise spoke at a BAFTA event, Snyder to Josh Horowitz. Neither thinks AI is going away; both draw the line at the same place.
If you’ve noticed the chatter about AI in films getting noisier, you’re not alone — even the industry’s biggest names are weighing in. This week, Tom Cruise and Zack Snyder have both piped up about artificial intelligence on screen, and it’s clear they’re singing from similar hymn sheets. Here’s a look at what they’ve actually said, and why it’s a subject that’s got just about everyone a bit twitchy.
Mainstay faces sound off
Cruise was at a recent BAFTA ‘Life in Pictures’ event, technically to talk about his next film (that’d be ‘Digger’ in case you’re counting), when the talk inevitably veered over to AI. He didn’t bother mincing his words about the limitations of machines and the value of real people in front of — and behind — the camera. At the same time, he’s not naive about the direction things are headed. His main point was simple: AI might be coming, but it can’t replace the real deal. Here’s how Tom Cruise framed it at BAFTA:
‘Here’s the thing: There is nothing like human. You know, it is coming and it’s going to happen. But people want to see real things.’
Meanwhile, Zack Snyder (never shy about future tech) was talking to Josh Horowitz recently, where he admitted he keeps ChatGPT on his phone — not exactly a luddite, then. But even with one foot in the digital world, Snyder’s no cheerleader for AI taking over entirely in filmmaking. He’s all for pushing the boundaries of traditional and digital effects (and let’s face it, the bloke’s made a career of it), but he draws a line when it comes to replacing flesh and blood with zeros and ones.
During his chat, Snyder flagged that the boundary between your classic CG and AI-driven effects is properly fuzzy already, and will only get blurrier. But for him, some things shouldn’t be up for debate. Introducing what he sees as the core rule, Snyder said:
‘Humans should make shots and humans should be in movies. That’s kind of how it should be.’
The fine print: Artists vs. Algorithms
The underlying concern is about what makes cinema special in the first place. Snyder reckons we could see a sort of counter-culture emerge — actual, hands-on craftsmanship being prized, with theatres serving as a kind of proof things were made (at least partially) by people and not just bots. As for Cruise, he’s not banging the anti-AI drum as if it’s all doom and gloom, but he’s plain about his stance: audiences crave authenticity. Both seem to agree that AI isn’t going anywhere, but they’re wary of a world where digital trickery takes over completely.
- Tom Cruise: Doubtful about AI replacing real performances; reckons audiences want genuine human moments.
- Zack Snyder: Happy to use AI tools like ChatGPT, but draws the line at AI crowding out real creators and actors; hopes for a renewed appreciation of ‘handmade’ cinema.
AI’s inching its way further into the industry — but for now, at least, the message from two of Hollywood’s most recognisable voices is clear: keep the real people front and centre, and let AI pace itself.
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