Academy Award-winning actor Robert Downey Jr. is strongly opposed to the use of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) to recreate his likeness, particularly in the context of reviving his iconic character Tony Stark aka Iron Man from the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The Oppenheimer actor during a conversation on On With Kara Swisher, where he joined Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Ayad Akhtar and Tony-winning director Bartlett Sher explored the implications of AI in modern storytelling, reported Deadline.
Asked about his feelings on deepfakes and AI technology, Downey said, “There’s two tracks. How do I feel about everything that’s going on? I feel about it minimally because I have an actual emotional life that’s occurring that doesn’t have a lot of room for that.”
Despite his concerns, Downey expressed confidence in the current leadership at Marvel, stating, “To go back to the MCU, I’m not worried about them hijacking my character’s soul because there’s like three or four guys and gals who make all the decisions there anyway and they would never do that to me, with or without me,” Deadline reported.
Swisher suggested that future executives may have different intentions, to which Downey responded humorously, “Well, you’re right. I would like to here state that I intend to sue all future executives just on spec.” In a light-hearted manner he added, “But my law firm will still be very active,” drawing laughs from the audience as Swisher compared him to Elvis Presley and his estate.
In addition to his concerns about Artificial Intelligence, Downey discussed his investments in AI companies, emphasizing the importance of ethical considerations. He stated, “It always comes down again to not the technology or the opportunity to line my pockets as much as, ‘Who are the people involved with this? Do I think they have a moral psychology? For what reason are they deploying this?'”
Currently, Downey is appearing on McNeal stage play, where he portrays a Nobel Prize-winning novelist who uses AI to write a new work. While the Lincoln Center Theater production has received mixed reviews, critics have praised Downey’s performance, as per Deadline. Downey is also set to reprise his role in the MCU as Dr. Doom in the upcoming films Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars.