Ari Aster, the innovative director behind contemporary horror classics like “Hereditary” and “Midsommar,” expresses apprehension towards artificial intelligence. In a recent interview with Letterboxd for his upcoming A24 film “Eddington,” Aster voiced his profound worry about the rapid progress of AI, likening it to an uncontainable force with hints of religious connotations, as it menacingly blends our real-world experiences with a digital reality generated by machines. “Eddigton” is a dark comedy set in the American West featuring Joaquin Phoenix and Pedro Pascal as a feuding sheriff and mayor amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. In the movie, Phoenix and Pascal engage in their struggle primarily through phones and social media, echoing Aster’s concerns about modern technology.
In my experience, when I converse with these pioneering engineers and those spearheading AI innovation, they don’t view it as a groundbreaking medium or even technology. Instead, they discuss it almost reverentially, as if it were divine. Their admiration for this creation is akin to that of disciples. The boundary between our tangible existence and this imagined realm is gradually dissolving, and we are becoming one, which I find quite terrifying.
He went on to express his concerns. ‘I see a great deal of apprehension about this,’ he said. ‘It seems as though the moment has passed. We’re in a competition now, and history shows that if something is possible, it will be done. I have some profound questions, you understand? As Marshall McLuhan once stated, ‘Man serves as the sex organ of the machine world.’ Is technology an extension of us, are we extensions of technology, or are we here to bring it into existence?’
Referencing Marshall McLuhan serves as an intentional homage to his groundbreaking 1964 book, “Understanding Media: The Extensions of Man“. McLuhan was a media theorist renowned for stating “the medium is the message,” suggesting that the tools we use to communicate have a greater impact on society than the content they transmit. His theory proposes that new technologies are like extensions of our bodies and senses, expanding our reach while simultaneously reshaping our social and psychological environment. By summoning McLuhan’s ideas, Aster is positioning AI as a transformative extension of humanity, which is now coming full circle to significantly impact its developers, leading us to ponder who ultimately holds the reins of control.
Ari Aster’s Fear Echoes Hollywood’s Biggest Struggle
In my opinion, Ari Aster’s name resonates in the realm of cinema due to his exceptional talent for crafting intense, unsettling environments that tap into the deep-seated fears of existential dread. His movies are revered for their gradual, chilling terror, eschewing jump scares in favor of an insidious feeling of unease that undermines one’s perception of security and reality. Since his entire artistic journey is grounded in a nuanced grasp of what truly terrifies people at the very core, his apprehension towards AI functions as a potent cultural thermometer.
In Aster’s thoughts, what stands out as peculiar is how familiar AI has become, contrary to his expectations. “I watch videos generated by AI, and they seem so lifelike; they’re almost indistinguishable from reality. It’s a testament to our ability to adapt. The more abnormal things become over time, the more we grow accustomed to them. Yet, a significant transformation is underway, one that we have no control over. So, here we embark. I can scarcely believe we’ll experience this and witness its outcome.
The caution regarding AI-driven reality’s normalization echoes one of the major challenges Hollywood has grappled with in recent years. Philosopher Aster’s apprehensions served as the battleground in the 2023 WGA (Writers Guild of America) and SAG-AFTRA (Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists) strikes, which halted productions for several months. At the heart of this struggle was the desire to establish legal safeguards against AI misuse by big studios. The unions’ efforts led to provisions in their contracts that prohibit studios from using AI to create or modify scripted content and from creating digital doppelgängers of actors without explicit approval and fair remuneration for each usage. This conflict emerged as a direct reaction to the fear expressed by Aster, namely, a future where AI-generated content becomes indistinguishable from human creations, potentially undervaluing and replacing real artists.
Eddington is scheduled to be released in the United States on July 18, 2025.
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2025-07-04 12:40