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The use of artificial intelligence (AI) in film production is the focus of a complicated controversy in the entertainment business that was sparked by Adrien Brody's recent Best Actor win at the 97th Academy Awards for his role in ‘The Brutalist.’ Concerns regarding performance authenticity, moral ramifications, and the evolving field of filmmaking are brought up by the dispute.
Brady portrays Laszlo Toth, a Holocaust survivor and Hungarian-Jewish architect. It was still challenging to pronounce words at a natural level, even after working with a dialect coach to learn Hungarian. To fix this, the filmmakers improved Brody's Hungarian lines using Respeecher, an AI voice cloning tool.
Hungarian editor David Jancso, who lent his own voice in software, said the AI was utilised to fix particular vowel sounds and stress, seeking an authenticity that would please native speakers. He stressed that the process did not change the actor’s original performance but added linguistic precision.
The utilisation of AI in acting has sparked an overall debate regarding the morality of technological enhancement in acting. Some critics have suggested that the utilisation of AI to alter performances dissolves the boundary between true acting talent and technological optimisation, which could devalue the art of traditional acting craft.
This was made more intense by previous actions within the industry, including the 2023 writers’ and actors’ strike, which focused on, among other things, AI impinging on creative work.
On the other hand, some industry experts see AI as a means that, if utilised ethically, can augment and complement human performance rather than substitute it. Dialect coach Jane Guyer Fujita stated that AI should never substitute work in Hollywood but admitted that in this instance, it did not appear to do so. She added that AI will never be capable of substituting the richness of human inspiration and scope that only an actor can provide.
Even with controversy, Brody's performance drew general acclaim, leading to his Oscar win. During his acceptance speech, he thanked his life, career, and partner for life, speaking to both personal and world issues. The AI debate has not yet ended, but it seemed to not substantially interfere with his recognition throughout the awards season.
During a podcast with Vanity Fair, Adrien Brody addressed the ongoing AI controversy surrounding ‘The Brutalist.’
“I understand we live in a time where even just the mention of AI is a bit triggering. We live in a time where, unfortunately, things can be misappropriated quite easily on the internet, and I just wish people had more understanding of the context and fact of the circumstances,” he shared.
Although he did make a claim, namely, “I am the son of Hungarians, grew up with that language spoken in the home. I had integrated within the Hungarian dialogue curse words that were not written into the script. It’s standard post-production, and I think we all know the truth."
Discussion about The Brutalist needs to ignite a conversation throughout time regarding the juxtaposition of AI work and filmmaking, the new technology, and declining artistic integrity. As the industry welcomes AI into every nook and cranny of filmmaking, from dialogue refining to visual effects, it is finding itself in the dilemma of making these technologies work without depriving human creativity of its beneficiaries.
This incident should ignite the fire to facilitate the industry in coming up with proper guidelines and ethical standards for the use of AI so that it becomes a complement to, rather than a competitor with, the art of film-making.
