Steven Spielberg warns artificial intelligence is no ‘substitute for the soul’

TechnologyMovie
28 May 2026 • 10:06 PM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

The world’s most free-thinking newspaper

Steven Spielberg warns artificial intelligence is no ‘substitute for the soul’

  • Steven Spielberg has said he does not use artificial intelligence (AI) as the "final word on anything creative".
  • The director told the IMO podcast: “Where I don’t love AI is where it takes a position or there’s an empty chair at a writer’s table.”
  • Spielberg said AI could be a useful tool for tasks such as location scouting, but should not dictate creative decisions like dialogue or camera placement.
  • He emphasised that there is no “substitute for the soul”, adding “a computer that thinks it feels more than we feel is anathema”.
  • Spielberg also revealed his belief in aliens in the interview, saying it is "mathematically and scientifically impossible" that life does not exist elsewhere.

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