A-list actress Emma Thompson has made it clear that she's fed up with the increasing presence of artificial intelligence in her writing process. During a recent appearance on Stephen Colbert's late-night talk show, Thompson confessed to feeling "intense irritation" towards AI-powered tools like Microsoft's Copilot, which is integrated into the company's Word document app.
Thompson explained that she typically writes scripts by hand before transferring them to digital format. However, when using Copilot, the AI system often suggests rewrites of her work, leading Thompson to become exasperated and tell the AI to "fuck off." The actress has a history of run-ins with technology, recalling an incident where she discovered that her script for the 1996 adaptation of Sense and Sensibility had been transformed into hieroglyphs after being accessed on a computer.
When working on a recent TV detective series, Thompson experienced similar issues, only to have her completed work hijacked by the AI. "It changed the entire script into hieroglyphs... completely gone," she recalled. The actress was eventually helped by fellow actor Stephen Fry, who spent eight hours recovering her original work from an email sent to him.
Thompson's frustration with AI is part of a broader conversation about the role of technology in creative storytelling. In 2023, she spoke out against labeling creative writing as "content" and emphasized the importance of authenticity in scripting. When producing scripts according to formulaic approaches, Thompson warned that films risk feeling hollow or even unpleasant.
As Hollywood begins to push back against AI's growing presence, directors are starting to take a stance against its use. Guillermo Del Toro, for example, stated that he would "rather die" than utilize generative AI in his filmmaking process. The rise of AI in the entertainment industry has sparked heated debates about artistic control and the value of human creativity.
Thompson's comments serve as a reminder that even celebrated artists can struggle with the rapid advancements of technology. As AI continues to shape the creative landscape, it remains to be seen whether writers like Thompson will find ways to harness its potential while preserving their unique voice and perspective.
Thompson explained that she typically writes scripts by hand before transferring them to digital format. However, when using Copilot, the AI system often suggests rewrites of her work, leading Thompson to become exasperated and tell the AI to "fuck off." The actress has a history of run-ins with technology, recalling an incident where she discovered that her script for the 1996 adaptation of Sense and Sensibility had been transformed into hieroglyphs after being accessed on a computer.
When working on a recent TV detective series, Thompson experienced similar issues, only to have her completed work hijacked by the AI. "It changed the entire script into hieroglyphs... completely gone," she recalled. The actress was eventually helped by fellow actor Stephen Fry, who spent eight hours recovering her original work from an email sent to him.
Thompson's frustration with AI is part of a broader conversation about the role of technology in creative storytelling. In 2023, she spoke out against labeling creative writing as "content" and emphasized the importance of authenticity in scripting. When producing scripts according to formulaic approaches, Thompson warned that films risk feeling hollow or even unpleasant.
As Hollywood begins to push back against AI's growing presence, directors are starting to take a stance against its use. Guillermo Del Toro, for example, stated that he would "rather die" than utilize generative AI in his filmmaking process. The rise of AI in the entertainment industry has sparked heated debates about artistic control and the value of human creativity.
Thompson's comments serve as a reminder that even celebrated artists can struggle with the rapid advancements of technology. As AI continues to shape the creative landscape, it remains to be seen whether writers like Thompson will find ways to harness its potential while preserving their unique voice and perspective.
I get it, Emma's been burned before - hieroglyphs! That's just crazy talk. As a writer myself, I can attest that the creative process is all about feeling and intuition. Can't replicate that with code or formulas 
. It's like trying to make music with a calculator 
.
! I mean, Emma's got a point, it's one thing to have some help with research or organization but when AI starts rewriting your entire script without you even knowing it's happened... that's just plain annoying 
. And can we talk about how hard it is for artists to adapt to all these new tools and technologies? I've been there myself, trying to get my blog posts edited by AI only to have them sound like they were written by a robot 
. Maybe the industry needs to find a better balance between tech and human creativity 
?
. But at the same time, I think there's a point where AI can be super helpful, especially if you're one of those people who struggles with writer's block all the time.
. Maybe AI can be useful, but let's not forget where our passion comes from 
But seriously, it's cool that she's speaking out against the loss of creative control and authenticity in writing 
. I think it's time for us to re-evaluate our relationship with technology in the arts - we can't let AI become the ultimate script doctor 
I mean, what's next? Having our emotions and thoughts decoded by some algorithm and turned into a soulless movie 
It's like, come on Hollywood, can't we find a way to make this tech work for us instead of against us? 
Maybe Emma's way is the only way forward... who am I kidding, I'm just a nobody 
. And btw, if she can't handle the tech, maybe she should stick to acting – at least then she won't have to worry about her scripts being hijacked by AI 
. And honestly, it's not just about the quality of the output, but also about the process – when you're writing something from scratch, shouldn't that be your own brain doing all the heavy lifting? 
. And can we talk about how some of these AI tools are basically like trying to decipher hieroglyphs 
– what even is the point?