Tom Holland isn’t losing any sleep over artificial intelligence. During a recent appearance on Spain’s El Hormiguero talk show, the Spider-Man star shared his confident stance on AI’s growing influence in Hollywood, saying he feels “protected” as a creative.
The actor, who was joined by his wife Zendaya, argued that the technology has a fundamental flaw that makes it incapable of replacing genuine human artistry. “Creativity is safe from AI because creativity has to do with the human experience. It’s about emotions, it’s about understanding one another,” Holland explained. He elaborated that while AI is a master at analyzing data, it is entirely clueless when it comes to feeling.
Holland believes that a machine’s inability to understand emotion is what keeps jobs like his secure. “AI can sift through data, but it can’t understand people’s emotions. It doesn’t understand the difference between being happy and being sad,” he said. He contrasted this with how artists create, pointing out that painting or performing isn’t about copying, it’s about expression. “The way artists paint, it’s not about what they’re copying, it’s about expressing themselves, so I feel protected,” Holland stated, bluntly concluding that AI “doesn’t have a soul”.
Holland’s remarks add to the ongoing debate in the entertainment industry. Other prominent directors are weighing in with concerns. Filmmaker Guillermo del Toro recently warned about the rise of “cinema illiteracy” due to AI’s influence. However, not everyone is on the same page. Directors like Martin Scorsese have partnered with AI companies to use the technology for storyboarding, while figures like Reese Witherspoon and Sandra Bullock have encouraged understanding the technology rather than outright rejecting it.
