As artificial intelligence continues blurring the line between convenience and control, steadily moving from handling everyday tasks to stepping into more personal human roles, the idea may not be entirely new, but it is becoming harder to ignore. However, this conversation has recently taken a sharper turn at the SXSW Film & TV Festival in March 2026, where DreamQuil, a stylish psychological thriller starring Elizabeth Banks, steps into the spotlight with its premiere, a premise that feels far too close to reality.

As DreamQuil brings this unsettling reality to the forefront, here is what Elizabeth Banks has to say about losing humanity in an AI-driven world.

Directed by Alex Prager, the psychological AI thriller DreamQuil stars Elizabeth Banks as Carol, an overwhelmed working mother who signs up for a virtual wellness retreat, only to return and find a robotic version of herself stepping in to handle her family’s needs. Speaking at the SXSW Film & TV Festival premiere on March 16, 2026, Banks shared her concern that no matter what tasks are handed over to AI, it comes at the cost of losing a part of human connection and humanity, a message that sits at the very core of the film and echoes a growing global concern around how far technology is beginning to shape everyday life.

“I think that no matter what tasks we turn over to it, we’re losing a little bit of our humanity. And I think that’s definitely part of what the movie’s message is,” Banks told Page Six. 

Banks further shared how some parameters need to be put on AI as to what will be acceptable. Per her, AI is like a "caregiver," and if everyone stops caring, then what is it that humans will have left to connect over with. Adding to the growing concerns, it is not just Banks weighing in on the impact of AI, but even the OG comedian and Oscars host, Conan O'Brien, took a dig at AI in his opening monologue at the 98th Academy Awards, joking about its rapid rise and hinting he might be the last human to host.

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Bringing the focus back to DreamQuil, here’s everything you need to know about the AI thriller, including the plot and the cast.

Raising concerns around what happens if AI does not just assist you but replaces you, the AI thriller DreamQuil centres Elizabeth Banks in two striking roles, as Carol, an overwhelmed mother, and her robotic counterpart stepping into her life. The film further brings together John C. Reilly, Juliette Lewis, and Kathryn Newton, who play key figures within Carol’s world, shaping the emotional and psychological tension as the story unfolds.

Taking the audience deeper into this controlled yet quietly unraveling reality, DreamQuil follows Carol as she steps away for a virtual wellness retreat, only to return to a life that no longer fully belongs to her, where a version of herself has already taken over the rhythms of her home and the care of her family. What begins as a promise of relief slowly turns into something far more disquieting, as the film unfolds a layered story of identity, detachment, and the fragile line between human presence and artificial replacement.

However, with a storyline that lingers beyond its premise, Elizabeth Banks’ concern over AI in DreamQuil leans into a realism that feels uncomfortably close to today’s growing fears.

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What are your thoughts on Elizabeth Banks’ recent warning about losing humanity in the AI thriller DreamQuil? Let us know in the comments.