Chris Nolan Talks "Terrifying Possibilities" Of AI

Christopher Nolan expressed caution about artificial intelligence after a special screening of Oppenheimer, drawing a comparison between the rapidly developing technology and his new feature about the creation of the atomic bomb, as reported by Variety.

Nolan's remarks came during a conversation following a preview screening of Oppenheimer in New York. The panel included Nolan, as well as Los Alamos National Laboratory director Dr. Thom Mason, physicists Dr. Carlo Rovelli, and Dr. Kip Thorne, plus author Kai Bird, who co-wrote American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer, which Nolan's film is based on.

"People in my business talking about it, they just don't want to take responsibility for whatever that algorithm does," Nolan said. "Applied to AI, that's a terrifying possibility. Terrifying. Not least because, AI systems will go into defensive infrastructure ultimately. They’ll be in charge of nuclear weapons. To say that that is a separate entity from the person wielding, programming, putting that AI to use, then we’re doomed. It has to be about accountability.”

Nolan's new feature retells how J. Robert Oppenheimer was tapped by U.S. military powers to develop the atomic bomb during World War II. Cillian Murphy plays the theoretical physicist, leading a cast that includes Emily Blunt, Matt Damon, Robert Downey Jr., and Florence Pugh.

The writer-director's comments come as the entertainment industry is at a near-complete halt, with SAG-AFTRA ordering a strike on Thursday to join WGA members on the picket lines. A primary issue for both unions is the matter of AI and its potential existential impact on labor practices in the entertainment industry.

"With the labor disputes going on in Hollywood right now, a lot of it--when we talk about AI, when we talk about these issues--they’re all ultimately born from the same thing, which is when you innovate with technology, you have to maintain accountability," Nolan said.

Universal Pictures is releasing Oppenheimer to theaters on July 21. Last week, the studio released an "opening look" of five minutes of footage from various parts of the film.