For many years, artificial intelligence (AI) has been considered the technology of the future. By 2025, AI has become clearly present in public cultural life, from movies, music to podcasts and social networks, leading to both opportunities and fierce debate.
One of the most prominent debates broke out right during the Oscar season. The movie "The Brutalist" revealed that it used AI software to improve the Hungarian accent for the two main actors Adrien Brody and Felicity Jones.
This information divided public opinion, one side arguing that this is just normal post-production technology, the other worried that AI is interfering too deeply in acting. The American Academy later affirmed that the use of AI "does not help and does not hinder" the nomination opportunity, showing that Hollywood is still trying to establish acceptance boundaries for this technology.
Music is the field that witnessed the strongest penetration of AI. The band Velvet Sundown once attracted millions of listens before being revealed as an AI-supported product. Not long after, AI artists successively topped iTunes and Billboard charts, from country music to epic music.
In the field of performance, the new version of the play "The Wizard of Oz" at the Sphere Theater (Las Vegas) has applied artificial intelligence to expand and refresh the classic film born in 1939.
Details that did not exist in the original are recreated, characters are seen more clearly, and sounds are incorporated. For many experts, this is a form of technology adaptation, but it also causes public debate about whether AI should be allowed to interfere in classic works.
Podcasts are a form associated with personal voices that are also not outside the AI wave. Voice copying technology allows program hosts to create recordings in multiple languages or replace part of the recording.
However, many people worry that this will erode the audience's trust, as truthfulness is the core element of podcasts but is questioned.
On social networks, deepfake videos about celebrities have spread widely after AI video creation tools were launched. Many artist families strongly oppose, saying that "reviving" the deceased with AI is an invasion of personal memories and emotions.
The peak of concern about employment is the appearance of Tilly Norwood (a female actress created by AI) with a realistic appearance. Although the creator claims this is just a new way of storytelling, actor associations warn of the risk that AI could replace creative labor.
Meanwhile, the cultural and artistic industry is still finding ways to adapt. In which, Disney signed a cooperation agreement with OpenAI, allowing celebrities to appear on the AI video platform, marking a turning point in the relationship between Hollywood and technology.
In 2025, AI has become an inseparable part of popular culture and society is forced to learn how to live with it.
