The 2002 Film That Predicted Deepfakes, Virtual Celebrities and AI Actors | Simone (2002)
Simone (2002)
This week on Tech Film Noir, we examine the Al Pacino comedy, Simone (2022), that accidentally saw the future. While the film itself is a chaotic mess of farce, misunderstandings, and increasingly questionable computer science, its central warning feels more relevant than ever: what happens when fake people become more valuable than real ones?
Join Lianne Potter, Simon Painter, and Jeff Watkins as they dissect the Al Pacino movie that accidentally predicted the future. From AI-generated celebrities and digital likeness rights to deepfakes and synthetic media, S1M0NE turns out to be far more relevant than anyone expected…even if the film itself spends most of its runtime desperately trying to avoid its own best ideas.
Expect virtual divas, Hollywood panic, questionable computer science, cyber security by floppy disk ejection, and a masterclass in how to waste a brilliant premise.
When movies guess the future, we check their work.

