Leonardo DiCaprio says AI lacks ‘soul’, insists it can’t create real art

Leonardo DiCaprio has drawn a firm line in Hollywood's ongoing debate over artificial intelligence, arguing that no matter how powerful the technology becomes, it will never cross the threshold into genuine art. Speaking to Time, which named him entertainer of the year, the "One Battle After Another" star said AI may prove useful for filmmakers — but it lacks the essential ingredient of creativity: human emotion.

DiCaprio acknowledged the mixed consequences of AI, particularly for workers already feeling the tremors of technological change. As Time's Stephanie Zacharek noted, he "mourns the fact that talented and experienced people could lose their jobs because of it," even as he recognises the potential upside.

"It could be an enhancement tool for a young filmmaker to do something we've never seen before," he said. But the admiration ended there. For DiCaprio, the line between innovation and artistry is non-negotiable. "I think anything that is going to be authentically thought of as art has to come from the human being," he said.

To make his case, he pointed to the polished but hollow brilliance of AI-generated mashups — those uncanny clips that fuse iconic artists into impossible collaborations. "Haven't you heard these songs that are mashups that are just absolutely brilliant and you go, 'Oh my God, this is Michael Jackson doing the Weeknd,' or 'This is funk from the A Tribe Called Quest song 'Bonita Applebum,' done in, you know, a sort of Al Green soul-song voice, and it's brilliant.' And you go, 'Cool.' But then it gets its 15 minutes of fame and it just dissipates into the ether of other internet junk. There's no anchoring to it. There's no humanity to it, as brilliant as it is."

DiCaprio's comments echo a wider unease across Hollywood, where writers, actors and directors continue to push back against technology they see as threatening creative labour. Earlier this year, SAG-AFTRA and several performers condemned the launch of an AI "talent studio" seeking representation for a computer-generated actress named Tilly Norwood — a move many interpreted as a warning sign for future labour disputes.

Filmmakers, too, have entered the fray. At the Gotham Awards, Guillermo del Toro delivered his own critique while celebrating his upcoming "Frankenstein", starring Oscar Isaac and Jacob Elordi. He reminded audiences that the project was made "for humans, by humans" before punctuating the line with a sharp, unambiguous "f*** AI."

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