Ari Aster, renowned for his mastery in crafting visceral horror stories, now voices a profound apprehension about the unchecked rise of artificial intelligence within Hollywood and beyond. His candor reveals a vulnerability often masked by his cinematic artistry. Aster perceives AI not just as a tool but as a force that threatens our sense of reality, identity, and creative sovereignty. This anxiety springs from the understanding that technological advancements often outpace ethical considerations, leaving society scrambling to keep pace. He observes a disturbing tendency where some industries treat AI as an infallible entity—an almost divine power—without regard for the human consequences or moral implications. This reckless worship of technology is unsettling because it signals a shift from tools serving humanity to entities commanding our respect and obedience.
Technological Innovation: A Force Beyond Human Control
Historically, technological progress has been driven by an insatiable desire to push boundaries, often with little foresight into the repercussions. Aster’s reflection echoes this reality, emphasizing that we are now caught in a technological “race” where control is slipping away. The government’s recent legislative move—removing regulation for a decade—further underscores the dangerous momentum. When authorities abdicate oversight, corporations and engineers may accelerate AI’s deployment, unconcerned about societal impact. Aster’s concern is that this rapid evolution blurs the lines between human and machine, making it almost impossible to distinguish reality from its digital facsimiles. The idea of AI as an extension of ourselves or as an autonomous entity signals a profound philosophical crisis. Are we creating ourselves anew through technology, or are we surrendering our human essence?
Artificial Intelligence as a New Form of Worship
What distinguishes Aster’s perspective is his observation of the almost religious reverence that AI engineers display toward their creations. Instead of viewing AI as a sophisticated tool, they seem to be cultivating a faith-like devotion, positioning their technology as a divine force. This shift can be seen as a dangerous form of idolatry, where humans bow to the algorithms rather than questioning their ethical foundations. The merging of human consciousness with digital realities—once the stuff of speculative fiction—is occurring at an accelerated pace, and Aster sees this as a horrifying development. The familiar boundaries of lived experience and digital imagination are dissolving, leading to a future where authentic human connection is compromised by simulated realities that feel indistinguishable from genuine life.
The Uncanny Normalization of the Unnatural
One of the most disconcerting aspects of AI’s evolution, according to Aster, is how quickly society is adapting to the uncanny. Photorealistic AI-generated videos, deepfake images, and synthetic voices now appear disturbingly real, creating a new normal where authenticity is perpetually in question. This normalization of the uncanny diminishes our capacity for genuine experience and critical discernment. As we habituate ourselves to increasingly life-like simulations, the boundary between real and artificial becomes fragile. And with society’s passive acceptance, the potential for manipulation, misinformation, and cultural upheaval grows exponentially. Ultimately, Aster contends that humanity might be unknowingly surrendering its control, drifting into a future where our own creations dominate our perception of reality—an outcome that should deeply concern anyone invested in the future of human authenticity and integrity.