Veteran actor calls out AI’s shortcomings

Harvey Keitel has warned artificial intelligence (AI) cannot replicate the emotional depth of a human performance.

The 87-year-old actor said the technology has failed to capture the qualities that make actors unique as he voiced concerns about the movie industry’s rapid development during an appearance at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival. Keitel made the remarks while attending the Czech festival for the third time to present a screening of Martin Scorsese’s Mean Streets.

Speaking to Variety, Keitel discussed his concerns over AI while revealing he is filming a new independent project written by his wife, Daphna Kastner, and reflected on the importance of cinema at a time of global political division.

Speaking about AI, he said: “Danger is in front of us.”

Referring to reports about an audiobook of Homer’s The Odyssey narrated using an AI-generated version of Michael Caine’s voice, Keitel said: “They used his voice, but there was no emotion in it. They couldn’t reproduce Michael Caine’s beauty.”

He continued: “It’s this new industry that’s developing where actors are selling their image and their voices, but they can’t reproduce their emotional life. In that way, the AI thing failed. I know it could be used for good purposes also, but we’re going to have to find good people.”

Caine recently licensed his voice to AI company ElevenLabs for its Iconic Voice Marketplace, with the first project using the approved digital recreation being an audiobook of The Odyssey.

Asked what still motivates him after decades in the industry, Keitel reflected on the subjects he continues to explore through acting.

He said: “There are so many things to deal with as a human being. My fears, my loves, my desires, my errors, my successes, my having to face death… And you can do that very well through the arts. That’s one good way to do it.”

He also described film festivals as increasingly significant.

He said: “Festivals are more important today than ever before in my lifetime because of the social situation around the world now.”

Speaking about global conflict, he added: “Politics is a disaster. Religions are in conflict with each other. I mean… judging somebody by the religion or the colour of their skin, I can’t think of anything more f****** ridiculous, and yet, we are still doing it.”

His comments come as AI continues to dominate debate across the film industry following the Hollywood strikes, with performers and studios continuing to negotiate how actors’ voices and likenesses can be used.