“When a company says they are trying to help humanity, it’s just counter to the facts.” Actor and filmmaker Joseph Gordon-Levitt has emerged as one of the most notable figures in AI discourse, and is now set to direct an AI thriller feature film for Netflix. His aim as a storyteller is to help viewers understand the stakes of widespread adoption of the technology. A private company, he notes, is incentivized to maximize shareholder value. “The rest is marketing.” In December 2025, he also founded the Creators Coalition on AI alongside others including Natasha Lyonne and Daniel Kwan. It aims to become Hollywood's voice at the table, calling for fair compensation, job protections and deepfake guardrails. The coalition’s signatories include A-listers like Ben Affleck, Aaron Sorkin, Margot Robbie, Cate Blanchett, and Octavia Spencer. Gordon-Levitt is on the TIME100 AI, the list of leaders shaping the development of AI in 2026. See the full list: