Throwback: When Robert Downey Jr Offered to Voice Mark Zuckerberg’s Jarvis-Inspired AI

Robert Downey Jr. is widely adored for his portrayal of Iron Man in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), but imagine if he had taken on the role of Jarvis, Tony Stark’s AI companion. This nearly became a reality when the ‘Oppenheimer’ actor expressed interest in lending his voice to Mark Zuckerberg’s AI project.

In the midst of Zuckerberg’s ambitious plans to create an AI assistant, he shared his vision on social media, revealing his goal to build an AI akin to Jarvis from the MCU. Zuckerberg’s objective was to develop an AI that could assist him with daily tasks, seamlessly integrating with his home to control everything from music and lights to temperature settings.

Image Courtesy: Techcrunch

The tech mogul turned to Facebook, outlining his personal challenge to create this AI system, stating, “My personal challenge is to build a simple AI to run my home and help me with my work.” As the project gained traction, Zuckerberg invited suggestions from his followers for a voice to bring his AI to life.

Among the suggestions was none other than Robert Downey Jr., a name that quickly gained popularity. The hype surrounding the idea caught the attention of Downey Jr. himself, who jumped into the conversation, expressing his interest in voicing the AI. 

Image Courtesy: Fossbytes

This sparked excitement among fans, as the actor had been the face of Iron Man and the MCU since 2008, carrying the franchise until the release of ‘Avengers: Endgame’.

Following his departure from the role of Tony Stark, Downey Jr. has continued to make waves in the industry. He is set to rejoin the MCU, not as a hero, but as the formidable Dr. Doom, one of the greatest villains from the comics. The actor will reunite with directors the Russo Brothers for the highly anticipated films ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ and ‘Avengers: Secret Wars’.

-Sushmita Sarkar