Mark Wahlberg is totally fine with an AI clone carrying on his legacy

Hollywood is still recovering from the strikes, but Mark Wahlberg is already imagining a world where his digital twin keeps working long after he is gone.

Speaking at TechCrunch Disrupt, the actor, director, and entrepreneur shared his perspective on generative AI in film, explaining why he is all for the tech as long as it is handled properly.

Enhancing stadiums, not replacing real actors

Wahlberg said his team is considering using AI to enhance stadium backgrounds in his upcoming Pete Rose biopic, an ambitious and expensive project.

For Wahlberg, the tool belongs in visual enhancement rather than fundamental creative control. He pushed back against feeding prompts into ChatGPT to pump out a screenplay, or making films entirely without real actors. Storytelling, he argued, must remain at the center.

Looking back at ground-breaking CGI landmarks like Jurassic Park or the hundred-foot wave in The Perfect Storm, Wahlberg noted that pure visual-effects blockbusters have lost their novelty. What keeps audiences hooked today is still good, grounded storytelling.

Letting his kids manage an AI clone

When TechCrunch Editor-in-Chief Connie Loizos asked whether he had checked out the CAA Vault, a facility where actors can scan their face, voice, and movement to create digital replicas, Wahlberg said he had not, but was genuinely intrigued.

He suggested it would be cool if his children or grandchildren could take ownership of his AI likeness down the line, booking him into great movies whenever appropriate.

He even applied that logic to his Ted animated series, saying he would not mind if an AI version kept the franchise running for decades after he is gone. If audiences still want to watch, Wahlberg said, they should have that opportunity.

Why it matters

Wahlberg's remarks reflect an emerging camp of Hollywood pragmatists who view AI less as an existential threat and more as an estate-planning vehicle.

For established A-listers and producers, turning crowd-heavy scenes over to AI solves real budget headaches. Treating digital likenesses as an inheritable family asset is practically an extension of traditional celebrity licensing. We think this approach sounds clever for top-tier talent who can dictate their own contracts.

However, it also highlights the growing divide in the entertainment industry. While big stars can envision their grandchildren collecting royalties from post-mortem AI roles, background actors and crew members are left wondering if those same digital clones will permanently eliminate entry-level gigs on studio sets.