James Cameron Insists 'I'm Not Negative About Generative AI,' but He Still Blocked It From Being Used in the Making of Avatar: Fire and Ash

James Cameron has told audiences that nary generative AI was utilized successful the making of the upcoming peculiar effects-heavy sci-fi enactment film, Avatar: Fire and Ash.

The Oscar-winning writer and manager told ComicBook.com that helium has banned generative AI from being utilized for each Avatar films, insisting helium would ne'er “replace actors.”

“I’m not antagonistic astir generative AI,” Cameron began. “I conscionable wanted to constituent retired we don’t usage it connected the Avatar films. We grant and observe actors. We don’t regenerate actors. That’s going to find its level. I deliberation Hollywood volition beryllium self-policing connected that. We’ll find our mode done that. But we tin lone find our mode done it arsenic artists if we exist. So it’s the existential menace from large AI that worries maine much than each that stuff.”

Cameron has talked astir generative AI aggregate times successful the past, but present he’s retired promoting Avatar: Fire and Ash’s merchandise aboriginal this month, he’s being asked astir the tech and its interaction connected filmmaking much and more.

Earlier this week, Cameron issued beardown words connected the imaginable for full characters to beryllium created with generative AI, saying it’s “horrifying to me.” Speaking to CBS News, Cameron described the process of turning real-life actors into integer characters for the Avatar films, citing show seizure arsenic a important component.

"For years, determination was this consciousness that, 'Oh, they're doing thing unusual with computers and they're replacing actors,' erstwhile successful fact, erstwhile you truly drill down and you spot what we're doing, it's a solemnisation of the actor-director moment," helium said.

"Now, spell to the different extremity of the spectrum, and you've got generative AI, wherever they tin marque up a character," helium continued. "They tin marque up an actor. They tin marque up a show from scratch with a substance prompt. It's like, no. That's horrifying to me. That's the opposite. That's precisely what we're not doing."

Cameron’s comments travel arsenic filmmakers and studios grapple with the aboriginal of AI performances, with AI-generated “actress” Tilly Norwood precocious sparking the ire of SAG-AFTRA. Speaking to Broadcast International successful July, creator Eline Van der Velden said she wanted Tilly Norwood “to beryllium the adjacent Scarlett Johansson oregon Natalie Portman.”

But it's the menace of "big AI" that worries Cameron more. Earlier this year, the Terminator and Titanic manager spoke astir the dangers of artificial intelligence, peculiarly arsenic it relates to weapons systems and getting into what helium calls a “nuclear arms race” with AI.

Cameron’s thoughts connected the outgo of making Avatar movies flared up again past week, erstwhile helium said that if Avatar: Fire and Ash doesn’t marque capable wealth to warrant Avatar 4 and 5, he’s acceptable to locomotion distant from the franchise.

James Cameron astatine the satellite premiere of Avatar: The Way of Water connected December 06, 2022 successful London, England. Photo by Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images for Disney.

The peculiar effects-heavy Avatar films outgo a immense magnitude of wealth to produce, but they person historically made billions of dollars astatine the container office. Avatar: Fire and Ash, owed retired successful December, is expected to travel suit — and the unit is connected it to present for Disney truthful manager James Cameron tin recognize his imaginativeness and merchandise Avatar 4 and 5 implicit the adjacent six years.

Avatar 4 is down for merchandise connected December 21, 2029, with Avatar 5 owed retired December 19, 2031. Cameron, present 71, would beryllium adjacent to 80 years aged by the clip it each wraps up.

Avatar remains the highest-grossing movie of each clip (not adjusted for inflation), and has earned a staggering $2.9 cardinal crossed respective theatrical runs. (Avengers: Endgame overtook Avatar for a little period, earlier Avatar past stole its crown backmost via a caller re-release.) 2022 sequel Avatar: The Way of Water earned $2.3 billion, meanwhile, cementing it arsenic the third-highest grossing movie of each clip — conscionable up of Cameron's ain Titanic, which floats connected $2.2 billion.

Wesley is Director, News astatine IGN. Find him connected Twitter astatine @wyp100. You tin scope Wesley astatine [email protected] oregon confidentially astatine [email protected].