Hollywood star Ben Affleck has revealed a surprising depth of knowledge and interest in advanced technologies, particularly artificial intelligence. In a recent interview, he disclosed that he can write "pretty shitty Python scripts" and understands complex concepts like convolutional neural networks (CNNs).
Affleck explained that his interest in computers began at a young age and grew as the film industry transitioned from analog to digital. According to him, machine learning has been part of the visual effects workflow for many years. He even ran a small visual effects company before co-founding his current venture, Artists Equity.
The actor impressively detailed technical concepts. "You’d use a convolutional neural network to identify patterns that reveal what’s called edge detection or feature extraction," he stated, also referencing "tensors" as the numerical translation of a visual image used in AI analysis.
Affleck added that he has also "worked with GPUs a lot." His curiosity is so strong that he has used his celeity status to learn more. He said he has called leading AI companies like Google and OpenAI to get private demonstrations of their work with video models.
“I’ve learned that I can actually just call up and go, ‘Hey, it’s Ben Affleck. Can I come see what you’re doing?’ Sometimes people say yes, to my astonishment,” he shared. This indicates he is more than a casual user, but a serious follower of technological advancements.
These unexpected revelations from a movie star paint a new picture of him as a tech-savvy individual and highlight how AI is permeating all aspects of creative industries, including filmmaking.
Source: Media reports
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