Avatar: Fire and Ash director James Cameron wasn't ashamed of himself position on the idea of AIdrawing a line between generative AI and the broader concept of AI, which he called an “existential threat.” Despite his relatively neutral stance on the idea of using AI in film, he promises fans that the upcoming Avatar: Fire and Ashes will not use the technology, nor will it appear in any Avatar films.
“I don’t have a negative view of generative AI. I just wanted to point out that we don't use it in the Avatar films,” Cameron says. Comic. “We honor and glorify actors. We don't replace actors. It will reach its level. I think Hollywood will control this issue on its own.
It's no surprise that Cameron is concerned about the larger threat posed by AI—his lover's central conflict. Terminator franchisein which a megalomaniac AI known as Skynet takes over Earth with the help of nuclear weapons and the eponymous killer android Terminators.
Now, with AI becoming more controversial by the day, he feels that people in the tech industry are finally listening to the parable of his films, even though they are still “rushing straight towards it, throwing billions and billions at it.”
“They call it the 'Skynet problem' and it's being discussed,” he explains. “But obviously they talk about consistency. They need to be trained, they need to be taught, they need to be limited in such a way that they work only for the benefit of humanity. The problem is who makes this decision?
It's hard to disagree with Cameron's broader point – and I guess we shouldn't expect any time-traveling saviors to return to save us from whatever fate lies ahead. Whatever effect generative AI may have on filmmaking and human creativity in general, it is far from the only problem associated with the broader technology on which it is based.
Avatar: Fire and Ash hits theaters on December 19th. In the meantime, check out our guide to the rest of the best films. upcoming movies on track to 2025 and beyond.
