In the sprawling corridors of Hollywood, there is a quiet but alarming shift: a growing obsession with artificial intelligence that threatens to undermine core human values and creative integrity. While supporters praise AI for its efficiency and innovation, critics like director Ari Aster sound a powerful alarm about the dangerous deification of technology. The industry is rushing headlong into an uncharted future, often without meaningful oversight, leaving creators and audiences alike vulnerable to the consequences of unchecked AI integration. This isn’t merely technological progress; it’s a Faustian bargain, where intelligence is surrendered to what is increasingly being revered as a digital deity.
Aster’s candid reflections reveal a profound unease with the current trajectory. Despite his background in horror, he warns of an existential dread rooted in the industry’s embrace of AI as an omnipotent force. This fervor is deeply misplaced—AI is being treated akin to a divine entity, not a tool. Such reverence can distort our moral compass, fostering a culture where technological innovation becomes an unquestioned idol rather than a means to serve society. If history teaches us anything, it is that power without accountability often spirals into chaos. Hollywood, often seen as a cultural mirror, now unwittingly participates in the worship of a machine that may soon dictate the future of storytelling, creativity, and moral choice.
The Myth of Autonomous Progress
One of the most troubling aspects of this AI frenzy is the perception that technological development is inevitable and beyond human control. Aster astutely compares this phenomenon to historical patterns, where progress is driven not by societal consensus but by those pushing the boundaries of innovation. In this race, resistance or caution is dismissed as outdated or naive, which only accelerates the risk of losing agency altogether. The idea that AI could evolve into a digital god presents a nightmare scenario—one where human beings are no longer the masters of their destiny but rather spectators of a relentless technological march.
Certain circles within Hollywood are attempting to distinguish between “clean AI” and unregulated experimentation, but the reality remains grim: the broader industry seems captivated by what AI can produce, rather than whether it should be used at all. Aster’s concern that AI’s presentations appear disturbingly “less uncanny than I want it to be” exposes a frightening normalization. The veneer of realism disguises a deeper erosion of authenticity, voice, and moral responsibility. As these AI-generated creations become more life-like, they threaten to blur the discernible boundary between genuine human expression and synthetic imitation, culminating in a cultural landscape that feels increasingly alien and devoid of soul.
Worshiping a Technological God
Perhaps the most disturbing insight from Aster’s reflections is the portrayal of AI engineers and advocates as practitioners of technological religious devotion. They talk about AI not as a piece of advanced machinery but as a divine entity—an object of worship that commands reverence rather than skepticism. This attitude reflects a dangerous shift, where technological progress is no longer motivated by human benefit but by a zealot-like allegiance to progress itself. It’s a phenomenon rooted in hubris, revealing a fundamental failure to critically assess the ethical, social, and spiritual implications of our creations.
The political landscape currently offers little hope for meaningful regulation. The fate of AI regulation hinges on a delicate balance of power and prioritization, and the recent legislative developments underscore a troubling indifference to the risks of unrestrained technological proliferation. Hollywood’s embrace of AI can be seen as both a reflection of these broader societal tendencies and an active driver of it. When cultural icons—and the industry’s decision-makers—see AI as an inevitable and even sacred force, they risk sacrificing human-centered values on the altar of technological progress.
Ultimately, the danger lies in our collective failure to critically examine who or what we are venerating. AI’s seductive realism, coupled with the industry’s reckless enthusiasm, heralds an era where the lines between human authenticity and synthetic simulation dissolve—an unsettling transformation that demands a cautious, skeptical, and ethically grounded approach. Until Hollywood confronts its reverence for this digital deity, we may find ourselves living in a world that values technological spectacle more than the essence of genuine human experience.
