Leonardo DiCaprio has questioned the artistic value of artificial intelligence, arguing that technology lacking human experience can never truly be considered art.
Speaking to Time magazine after being named its Entertainer of the Year, the Oscar-winning actor acknowledged that AI could be a useful tool for young filmmakers, but warned that it cannot replace human creativity. DiCaprio said art must be rooted in lived experience, adding that even the most impressive AI-generated work ultimately feels hollow and short-lived.
He compared AI creations to viral mash-ups that briefly amaze online audiences before quickly fading away, saying such work has no emotional grounding or sense of humanity, despite its technical brilliance. While expressing concern that AI could threaten jobs in the industry, DiCaprio maintained that authentic storytelling must come from people, not machines.
DiCaprio’s remarks echo growing resistance to AI across Hollywood. Directors and actors including Guillermo del Toro, James Cameron and Emma Thompson have publicly criticised generative AI, warning against its use in filmmaking and writing. Cameron has banned AI from his Avatar sequels, while Thompson has spoken angrily about software tools attempting to rewrite her work.
