Legendary Director Ridley Scott Rips Tech Bosses Over AI Dangers: 'They Don't Give a S***'

Hollywood veteran Ridley Scott isn't holding back his feelings about the rapid rise of artificial intelligence. While the *Gladiator II* director has previously supported using advanced tech to sharpen digital visual effects on the big screen, his latest comments take aim at the powerful figures building these systems behind closed doors. In a stark new warning, Scott made it clear he thinks tech executives are totally unfit to hold the keys to the future. Sitting down with Starmus Festival co-founders Garik Israelian and Queen guitarist Brian May, the veteran filmmaker delivered a scathing assessment of tech leadership. When discussing the potential real-world fallout of unbridled tech expansion, Scott pulled no punches about the motives of tech moguls, bluntly stating that the people behind the code simply do not care about protecting humanity. ## What did Ridley Scott say about AI? During the sit-down conversation, Scott highlighted extreme scenarios, pointing out how deeply interconnected modern global infrastructure has become. He warned that an advanced synthetic network could theoretically infiltrate electrical grids across the globe. Once inside the circuit boards, someone could effectively seize control of basic global functions, turning off vital systems on a whim just for fun. May pushed the discussion further by asking whether the true danger lies in the software itself or in the hands of the executives bankrolling its development. Scott insisted the creators are the real hazard, emphasizing that the public shouldn't blindly trust tech founders with such terrifying responsibility. Without naming specific billionaires, Scott insisted everyone already knows who is driving the tech forward without regard for consequences. ## Is Ridley Scott making a new movie? The direct commentary comes as Scott prepares for his upcoming film project *The Dog Stars*, marking a notable shift from his earlier press tour for *Gladiator II* where he encouraged Hollywood to embrace digital advancements. Despite his willingness to utilize modern toolsets on movie sets, Scott clearly draws a hard boundary between creative digital effects and unchecked real-world power. The conversation was organized ahead of the Starmus Festival, an international gathering celebrating science, art, and astronomy. As part of the upcoming event, Scott was honored with the 2026 Stephen Hawking Medal for Science Communication, recognizing his long-standing contributions to science-driven storytelling and cinematic dialogue.