Actor Joseph Gordon-Levitt, who serves as a United Nations global advocate for human-centric digital governance, says he is concerned about how artificial intelligence is being developed and trained. In a New York Times video interview, he argues that AI systems can be designed to “hijack your intimacy,” using training approaches that exploit personal attention and emotional or interpersonal signals.
Across the outlets’ coverage, Gordon-Levitt frames his comments within broader concerns about technology’s societal impact. He points to potential effects on human empathy and on democratic life, suggesting that advances in AI are not only technical but also shaped by incentives and governance choices. Variety and Deadline highlight his warning language—such as the decline of empathy and democracy—while the New York Times presents the conversation as an exploration of what is at stake, particularly from the perspective of human-centric digital policy.
The reporting centers on Gordon-Levitt’s statements in the interview and does not present new empirical findings; it focuses on his view of the risks associated with current AI training practices and their implications for society.
