Tom Cruise Says AI Is Coming, but Audiences Still “Want to See Real Things”

Tom Cruiseknows artificial intelligence isn’t going anywhere, but he doesn’t think it can replace what audiences ultimately want from movies: real people creating real things.

During an intimate BAFTA “Life in Pictures” conversation in London, Cruise reflected on more than four decades of filmmaking, including Top Gun, Jerry Maguire, Magnolia, and the Mission: Impossible franchise.

The conversation also turned toward where Hollywood is headed, especially as AI becomes an increasingly bigger part of the industry.

It’s a fitting subject for Cruise. The Mission: Impossible movies have consistently played with cutting-edge technology, and 2025’s Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning went so far as to make artificial intelligence the central threat.

When moderator Edith Bowman asked Cruise about AI and its impact on filmmaking, he came back to something much simpler.

“Here’s the thing: There is nothing like human,” Cruise said. For Cruise, part of that human connection comes from watching movies together in a theater. He’s spent years championing the theatrical experience, though he made it clear that he isn’t against streaming.

“I have nothing against streaming or anything like that,” he said, describing seeing a movie in theaters as “a different art form.”

Cruise pointed to the summer 2026 box office as evidence that moviegoers still want that communal experience. The domestic summer season generated a record $4.76 billion between May 1 and Labor Day.

“People want that experience. They’re going to movie theaters,” Cruise said, adding: “I always believe in humanity.”

As for AI, Cruise isn’t pretending the technology can simply be ignored. His message to filmmakers, artists, and other creatives is to keep making things. “You know, it is coming and it’s going to happen,” Cruise said of AI. “But people want to see real things.”

This is a guy who has become famous for throwing himself out of planes, hanging off aircraft, riding motorcycles off cliffs, and finding increasingly ridiculous ways to put himself in actual danger for the sake of a movie.

Whatever role AI eventually plays in Hollywood, Cruise clearly believes audiences will continue responding to genuine human craft and spectacle.

His next movie will give audiences a very different version of the actor. Cruise stars in Digger, directed by The Revenant filmmaker Alejandro G. Iñárritu, playing a wealthy oil tycoon. Cruise underwent a major physical transformation for the role with a fat suit and extensive prosthetics, which initially required six hours to apply.

Cruise also sounds incredibly enthusiastic about what Iñárritu has cooked up. “I’ve never read a movie like this,” Cruise said. “It’s the most original film and one of the most moving films I’ve ever seen.”

AI will continue changing how movies are made, and Cruise clearly understands that reality. His response isn’t to run from the technology. It’s to keep making movies and trust that audiences will continue seeking out human performances, craftsmanship, and experiences they can share together.

Digger hits theaters October 2 through Warner Bros.

Via: Variety