In recent days, the story of a media company announcing that it holds the copyright of AI artists and orienting these AI artists to participate in online film and content production like real people is causing public stir.
The first point of controversy comes from the image factor. Many opinions suggest that AI faces show signs of "hybridizing" the characteristics of famous actors such as Trieu Kim Mach, Trieu Le Dinh, Truong Tu Phong or Luong Khiet. This raises concerns about image rights, and at the same time makes the audience feel unnatural, being compared to "mass faces" without their own identity.
However, the problem is not only about "who is like", but more deeply about the worry about livelihoods. The development of AI is predicted to directly impact the structure of the film industry, especially the group of supporting actors, extras - people who are already in a precarious position.
When AI can replace small roles at low cost, without schedules or fees, the path from supporting roles to main roles for many people is at risk of being cut off.
In the context that the digital content industry is under pressure to "reduce costs, increase efficiency", AI is quickly becoming an attractive choice for manufacturers.
Some platforms have even begun to encourage AI-based content production through financial support policies. This further raises concerns that the human factor may be underestimated in the production process.
From the audience's perspective, many people commented that AI's acting is "insensitive", "stiff", creating a feeling of strangeness. This is a typical manifestation of the Strange Valley Effect when an entity is more human-like but not perfect, making it even more uncomfortable.
In fact, the essence of traditional acting is a combination of personal experience, emotions and immutable elements. Meanwhile, AI only reproduces trained data, lacking psychological depth and improvisation - factors that create the "soul" of the character. When emotions are replaced by algorithms, viewers easily feel that the content becomes soulless.
Another concern is also raised: If AI not only plays roles but also writes scripts, edits movies, dubs, and even creates interactions with audiences, the entire content production chain may become closed. At that time, the role of humans in both content production and consumption will be significantly narrowed.
However, many opinions in the industry believe that AI can hardly completely replace real actors. Like animation or cinematic visual effects, AI can become a support tool or a separate product line, but the need for real emotions and human connection still exists.
The strong public reaction is therefore not simply "anti-technology", but reflects a deeper concern: when everything can be replaced, how human values will be redefined.
