Michael Fassbender, star of the new season of the Paramount+ thriller 'The Agency,' has spoken about the increasing difficulty of discerning truth online due to the rise of artificial intelligence and misinformation. The series, which delves into the psychological toll of deep-cover espionage, reflects these contemporary concerns.
Fassbender, who plays veteran CIA operative Martian, described the show as leaning into the "isolation, the loneliness and the reality of the world," rather than relying on explosions or gadgets. He noted that audiences are fascinated by the "kind of people that go into this line of work and what kind of people come out of it at the end," highlighting how Martian's idealism has been eroded by years of deception.
Co-star Katherine Waterston, who plays Martian's former handler Naomi, echoed these sentiments, stating that the show's exploration of deception mirrors broader societal challenges with trust. She specifically raised concerns about AI, calling the current regulatory landscape a "Wild West" and suggesting that "the worst is yet to come" if safeguards are not implemented.
Fassbender agreed, expressing concern about the unknown potential of AI and its "devastating effect" in the wrong hands. He admitted to having personally encountered misinformation online, requiring his wife, actress Alicia Vikander, to help him fact-check. Both actors concluded that the personal sacrifices inherent in deep-cover spy work, such as the loss of one's own personality and the difficulty of maintaining relationships, would make them "terrible" spies.
'The Agency' season 2 is set to premiere on June 21.