Disney's Prom Pact Caught Appearing To Use Creepy AI Extras & Twitter Cries Foul
While screen actors continue to fret over the threat of productions using artificial intelligence to replace live actors in future Hollywood projects, it appears that at least one major studio has already relied on the technology in one of its recent streaming releases.
Of course, streaming residuals and the use of AI are two of the major sticking points behind SAG-AFTRA's strike against the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP), which began in July. Despite actors' concerns, however, Disney and Netflix, among other companies, have ramped up AI hiring amid the strike.
Now, users on X, formerly known as Twitter, users are calling out Disney for its apparent use of AI in its original streaming movie "Prom Pact." In an October 12 post, @DiscussingFilm wrote, "Earlier this year, Disney was caught inserting digital scans of background actors in their film 'PROM PACT'. Disney & other studios have been digitally scanning background actors and are now using their digital likeness in various movies & TV shows without payment or permission."
Accompanying @DiscussingFilm's post is a copy of the film's poster, along with a screen grab of a scene at a basketball game where fans are sitting in bleachers behind a row of basketball players on a bench. The snap of the AI character — which appears a digitally-created image of a woman in a yellow, V-neck sweater clapping in a static manner — appears 1 minute and 47 seconds into the movie and lasts less than 2 seconds. Sitting to the right of the woman is a male fan who also appears to be an AI creation.
X users are calling out the quality of Prom Pact's AI — and Bob Iger too
Replying to @DiscussingFilm's post, @EyeofSemicolon ripped on the quality of the creepy-looking digital insertion, writing, "It looks so blatant and badly done that if you were to tell me this was from some mid-2000's show about a kid having to live in a world where CGI characters go to school and shenanigans happen, I'd believe you. Probably would've been a sketch on Adult Swim."
Also calling out the AI scene was user @caiden_reed, whose clip of the film also seems to reveal another AI character to the right of the woman in yellow. "Reminder this is what SAG-AFTRA is writing against," they wrote.
Another user, @GeekLawGrad, took the fight directly to Disney's CEO while highlighting the clip featuring the AI character, writing, "Bob Iger would rather insert digital scans of background actors than paying actors their fair wage! #SAGAFTRAStrong."
While the WGA and AMPTP struck a deal to end the writers' strike at the end of September 2023, the SAG-AFTRA strike entered its third month in October. According to Variety, the WGA and Directors Guild of America issued a statement on October 13 asking the AMPTP to return to the negotiating table with SAG-AFTRA after talks between the two parties over the past week fell apart.