Artificial intelligence is increasingly infiltrating Hollywood, raising concerns about job security, creativity, and the value of human craftsmanship.

Matthew McConaughey is sounding alarms about AI encroaching on actors’ livelihoods, telling Timothée Chalamet that “it’s already here” and urging performers to protect their work. During a town hall hosted by Variety and CNN at the University of Texas at Austin, McConaughey said, “Don’t deny it. It's not going to be enough to sit on the sidelines and make the moral plea that, 'No, this is wrong.' It's not gonna last. There's too much money to be made, and it's too productive. So I say: Own yourself. Voice, likeness, et cetera. Trademark it. Whatever you gotta do, so when it comes, no one can steal you.”

The Oscar-winning actor is among industry figures taking proactive steps against AI misuse. According to an exclusive report by the Wall Street Journal, McConaughey has trademarked aspects of his voice and likeness, including his iconic line “Alright, alright, alright” from Dazed and Confused (1993) and several short video clips of himself. His lawyers say the trademarks are meant to prevent AI apps or users from simulating his voice or likeness without permission.

“My team and I want to know that when my voice or likeness is ever used, it’s because I approved and signed off on it,” McConaughey said in an email to the WSJ. “We want to create a clear perimeter around ownership, with consent and attribution as the norm in an AI world.”

The actor’s warning extends beyond legal protections. At the town hall, McConaughey cautioned Chalamet that AI is already affecting actors’ livelihoods and could soon influence awards. “It’s already here,” he said, urging Chalamet to “own yourself. Voice, likeness, et cetera. Trademark it. Whatever you gotta do, so when it comes, no one can steal you.” He predicted AI actors will “infiltrate our category” in the next few years, raising questions about how awards and recognition might change.

Industry insiders and independent producers also share concerns about AI replacing human creativity. Taylor Nixon-Smith, a producer and director, said AI “could easily corrupt an entire industry” and stressed that “treating people like people — not as tools — is crucial.” While AI can enhance technical efficiency, its ethical use remains uncertain, and it may displace jobs in casting, dubbing, and translation. Nixon-Smith added, “Entertainment, once a sacred space, now feels like it’s in a state of purgatory.”

Beyond McConaughey, Hollywood is grappling with AI’s rapid integration. The 2023 strikes addressed the use of AI to replace actors and writers, but studios continue experimenting with the technology in movies, TV, and video games. Films like Emilia Perez and The Brutalist used AI to alter voices, with Adrian Brody winning an Academy Award for The Brutalist while AI fine-tuned his Hungarian accent. AI has also been employed to de-age actors like Tom Hanks and Harrison Ford. Actors continue to push for protections, protesting unauthorized use of their voices or likenesses in video games and other media.

Generative AI has also entered documentary filmmaking. Rachel Antell, an archival producer, reported AI-generated images mixed with authentic footage, raising ethical concerns. The Archival Producers Alliance, a volunteer group of around 300 documentary professionals, issued guidelines to prevent misleading audiences and preserve historical integrity. “There is something really special about the human voice and the human face, and you want to engage with [generative AI] intentionally and avoid manipulation,” said Stephanie Jenkins, a founding APA member.

McConaughey’s warnings highlight a growing tension in Hollywood: AI can expand creative possibilities, yet it risks displacing human labor, diluting artistry, and undermining consent. Timothée Chalamet said Gen Z will bear the brunt of managing AI’s integration, though older generations must safeguard creative opportunities. “There’s a level of fatalism I feel,” Chalamet said. “It will be on your generation, and mine to an extent, to know how to ethically integrate it, if at all, or do away with it. But the fatalist in me feels like this stuff is coming. And the dreamer in me wants to go, 'Hey, if it enables a 19-year-old to produce something they couldn’t otherwise because there are gatekeepers, then [good].' But ultimately, it’s not my place to say.”

Some see a potential silver lining. If AI becomes more prominent, ephemeral performances (such as live theater or unique on-set interactions) may gain value because they cannot be replicated. Nonetheless, the current trajectory suggests growing tension between efficiency and artistry.

As AI advances, Hollywood faces a choice: embrace the technology while safeguarding artistry, or allow automation to erode the skills, dedication, and creativity that define the industry. McConaughey’s approach—trademarking himself and urging peers to protect their likenesses—is one of the first legal and ethical shields actors have to retain control.

“It’s gonna get so good we’re not going to know the difference. That’s one of the big questions right now: the question of reality. It’s more hazy than ever — in a very exciting way, I think, but also a scary way. Prep for it. Own your own lane, so you at least have agency when it starts to trespass,” he said.