Jackie Chan says AI would have ended his action career if it existed earlier

"If today I was working in this age, I don't think I would do [stunts] myself," Chan told Page Six. "Why? Because of AI special effects, [green screens]."

Speaking at the "Karate Kid: Legends" premiere in New York, U.S., in June, the 71-year-old action star said he was "lucky" to have risen to fame before the digital age, when practical stunts were standard in the film industry.

Chan said that modern film studios are more cautious and less likely to allow actors to perform their own stunts due to safety concerns and potential financial risks.

"You want to do [the stunt work], but the studio, the stunt coordinator, the director, they won’t let you," he said. "Because if anything [went wrong with a stunt and the star were injured] it could shut down the whole shoot; it could cost a lot of money."

Over the years, Chan sustained numerous injuries while filming, including broken fingers, toes, cheekbones, hips, ribs, and ankles, as well as a dislocated pelvis.

"In the old days, I had to do it myself and so I became ‘Jackie Chan.’ So I was lucky."

Hong Kong actor Jackie Chan. Photo courtesy of Chan's Instagram

In a separate interview with China's Global Times, Chan said that today's actors are "lucky" in a different way, as technological advances make action scenes safer and more flexible. "They can adjust angles digitally, so a punch doesn't need to land perfectly," he said. "With AI, punches extend digitally, jumps are enhanced. I envy that safety."

"But if I'd had this technology back then, there would be no Jackie Chan that global audiences now know."

Chan's remarks come amid ongoing debate in Hollywood over the extent to which AI should be used to replicate work traditionally done by humans, including in stunts, voice-overs, and animation.

Streaming platform Netflix recently disclosed its use of AI in the production of "The Eternaut," an Argentine science fiction series, in a move to lower production costs and accelerate workflows, according to The Guardian. Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos said that an AI-powered visual effects sequence was completed "10 times faster" than through traditional methods.

In China, the China Film Foundation, a government-backed nonprofit, announced plans to use AI to restore 100 classic kung fu films, including "Police Story," "Fist of Fury," and "Once Upon a Time in China" — iconic titles featuring Chan, Bruce Lee, and Jet Li, as reported by the South China Morning Post.