Star Trek's William Shatner Open to AI Being Used for His Captain Kirk After He's Gone (Exclusive)
Shatner "would advise" his family to sign off on a posthumous AI performance.
The use of artificial intelligence in the entertainment industry has become a major topic in recent years, provoking quite a lot of conversation surrounding which projects do — or even could — employ it. One significant element of the debate has been around using AI to revive or recreate performances from older actors — and it looks like legendary Star Trek star William Shatner has a unique outlook on the matter. While speaking to ComicBook.com about his upcoming appearance at Mega-Con in Orlando on February 3rd and February 4th, Shatner addressed the possibility of his iteration of Star Trek's Captain James T. Kirk returning through AI, and revealed he would only want it to happen under specific circumstances.
"It's an interesting question," Shatner explained. "The strike was all about getting permission to do that. And so if I'm alive, I don't want AI to do that, but if I'm dead and they ask my family and they're going to pay my family very well to sound like me, I would advise them to say yes."
What Is William Shatner's Documentary About?
In recent years, Shatner has been vocal about his efforts to preserve his cultural legacy, including starring in the 2023 documentary You Can Call Me Bill. As Shatner put it in a 2023 interview, the documentary was a way to help ensure his story is told, no matter how long he ultimately ends up living.
"I've turned down a lot of offers to do documentaries before," Shatner said. "But I don't have long to live. Whether I keel over as I'm speaking to you or 10 years from now, my time is limited, so that's very much a factor. I've got grandchildren. This documentary is a way of reaching out after I die."
"When Leonard Nimoy died a few years ago, his funeral was on a Sunday. His death was very sudden, and I had obligated myself to go to Mar-a-Lago for a Red Cross fundraiser," Shatner added. "I was one of the celebrities raising money. That event was on a Saturday night. I chose to keep my promise to go to Mar-a-Lago instead of the funeral, and I said to the audience, 'People ask about a legacy. There is no legacy. Statues are torn down. Graveyards are ransacked. Headstones are knocked over. No one remembers anyone. Who remembers Danny Kay or Cary Grant? They were great stars. But they're gone and no one cares.' But what does live on are good deeds. If you do a good deed, it reverberates to the end of time. It's the butterfly effect thing. That's why I have done this film."
What do you think of William Shatner's new comments about an AI recreation of his Captain Kirk? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!
As mentioned above, William Shatner will be appearing at Mega-Con in Orlando on February 3rd and February 4th.