George Clooney has raised fresh concerns about artificial intelligence, questioning whether governments and lawmakers are equipped to regulate the technology.
George Clooney Questions Government AI Regulation
Speaking at a Venice Film Festival symposium on the future of creativity, Clooney said he was wary of putting AI regulation entirely in the hands of government officials, Variety reported on Friday.
He said, “I don’t know that you want government to be regulating this either, because I sit and watch when Zuckerberg is testifying in front of, you know, a 94-year-old Chuck Grassley, and they’re like, ‘Well, how do you turn that computer on?’”
“These are not the people that you want to entrust the holy grail with,” he said.
Clooney Warns AI Could Make Truth Harder to Find
Clooney’s concerns extend beyond AI-generated misinformation. He argued that increasingly convincing AI content could make people question whether real events ever happened.
“It’s not just that you’ll see lies,” he said. “It also makes you question things that really do exist.”
He warned that AI could give false claims and established facts similar weight, potentially making it harder for people to distinguish historical truth from fabricated narratives.
AI Hallucinations Could Create Real-World Problems
Clooney also pointed to the legal profession as an example of the risks. He said his wife, human rights lawyer Amal Clooney, has encountered instances involving AI-generated legal information.
According to Clooney, AI systems can invent court cases and laws, while lawyers who fail to verify the information could unknowingly cite them.
He also raised concerns about deepfakes, asking what would happen if AI generated a convincing video of Russian President Vladimir Putin announcing a nuclear strike.
“How do you discern it?” Clooney asked.
Who Is Really In Charge Of AI
Clooney ultimately questioned who has enough control over the technology, noting that many AI tools are controlled by some of the world’s wealthiest people.
He also stressed the importance of political checks and balances, arguing that democracy requires disagreement and competing viewpoints.
“We’re not supposed to agree,” Clooney said. “That’s the whole idea of democracy.”
Hollywood Stars Push Back As AI Threatens Actors’ Digital Likenesses
Clooney is hardly alone in raising concerns about AI’s impact on Hollywood. Robert Downey Jr. and Tom Hanks have also voiced concerns about the technology and its potential to create digital replicas of actors, USA Today reported.
During an October 2024 appearance on the Kara Swisher podcast, Downey joked that he planned to sue future executives who use AI to recreate his likeness.
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
Image: USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
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