Robert Downey Jr. Threatens Posthumous AI Lawsuits: ‘My Law Firm Will Still Be Very Active’ After I Die
In a recent episode of the podcast “On with Kara Swisher,” actor Robert Downey Jr. expressed his concerns about the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the entertainment industry. Although he is known for portraying Tony Stark/Iron Man, a character heavily associated with technology, Downey revealed that he is cautious about AI’s potential to recreate his likeness, particularly after his passing. He firmly stated that he would not allow anyone to use his image and expressed confidence that Marvel and Disney would respect his wishes while acknowledging the possibility of future executives not adhering to his stance. Downey humorously talked about his plan to “sue all future executives” regarding such matters, despite the fact that he would no longer be alive to pursue these legal actions. The discussion highlighted his dual feelings about AI, balancing minimal concern for its implications against his emotional life, while also addressing the broader risks it poses to actors’ rights and identities.
He may have portrayed a tech- and artificial intelligence-obsessed billionaire on the silver screen, but actor Robert Downey Jr. has plenty of reservations about AI in real life.
The 59-year-old Downey, whose most lucrative role to date is tech mogul-turned-super hero Tony Stark/Iron Man in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, recently raised a few eyebrows when he made it clear that nobody would ever be allowed to recreate his image and likeness with AI — even after he’s passed.
Downey appeared on the Oct. 21 episode of the “On with Kara Swisher” podcast and discussed a wide-range of topics.
But one key topic broached by the podcast involved the use of artificial intelligence, particularly with regards to how it can replace certain parts of an actor (whether it’s a recreated voice or a wholly recreated image).
Downey explained that he had two different thoughts on the potential existential dread that AI represents.
“There’s two tracks,” Downey said. “One is, how do I feel about everything that’s going on? And my answer is, I feel about it minimally because I have an actual emotional life that’s occurring that doesn’t have a lot of room for that.”
With respect to his employers at Marvel and Disney, Downey actually expressed supreme confidence that he would have nothing to worry about.
“I am not worried about them hijacking my character’s soul because there’s like three or four guys and gals who make all the decisions there anyway,” he said. “And they would never do that to me, with or without me.”
But what if those “three or four” people invariably get replaced in the future?
“But future executives certainly will [entertain using your image and likeness],” Swisher retorted.
“Well you’re right,” Downey admitted, before launching into his contingency plan. “And I would like to, here, state that I intend to sue all future executives just on spec.”
“You’ll be dead,” Swisher said. “You’ll be dead [by the time those executives come into power], Robert.”
“I know,” Downey said. “But my law firm will still be very active.”
While Downey was not listed as a top 10-used celebrity linked with AI-driven scams in a recent security report, he himself has addressed these posers on social media:
— Robert Downey Jr (@RobertDowneyJr) August 23, 2017
(Not-So-Fun Fact: Downey’s fellow MCU alum Scarlett Johansson was the most-used celebrity in these sorts of scams.)
Spoiler Alerts for a 5-year-old movie: After Downey’s Stark/Iron Man character died in 2019’s “Avengers: Endgame,” many presumed that the longtime actor was finished with the role.
And that does mostly appear to be true — but Downey’s not done with the MCU.
The actor caused quite a stir when it was revealed that Downey would go from portraying the heroic Iron Man to the villainous Dr. Doom in the upcoming slate of Avengers films.
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