Hollywood actor and tech enthusiast Ashton Kutcher has ignited controversy by proclaiming that AI, specifically OpenAI’s generative video tool Sora, will revolutionise filmmaking – a prediction met with both awe and anger from the industry.

Speaking at the Berggruen Salon in Los Angeles, Kutcher, known for both his roles in productions like “That ’70s Show” and his tech investments, lauded Sora’s ability to create hyperrealistic video content from scratch. “You can generate any footage that you want,” he marvelled, describing the technology as capable of producing footage suitable for “a major motion picture or a television show.”

Kutcher, enthusiastic about the potential cost savings, recounted his own experience using Sora to generate footage of a runner in a desert sandstorm in just five minutes – a feat that would typically require a full CGI team and considerable budget. Looking ahead, he envisions a future where AI could “write the script, then you’ll input the script into the video generator and it will generate the movie.”

However, Kutcher’s optimistic outlook has been met with resistance from some corners of Hollywood. His comments, particularly his prediction that individuals will soon “generate and then watch [their] own movie,” have sparked criticism on social media, with some accusing him of being “ignorant” and “self-centred” about the potential impact on film industry jobs.

The actor’s remarks come at a sensitive time for Hollywood, still reeling from Sora’s initial unveiling in February. The preview, showcasing the technology’s capability to produce stunningly realistic footage, caused widespread concern about AI’s potential to displace human creativity and labour, even prompting some studios to put major expansion projects on hold.