While many view AI with skepticism, “Avatar” and “Titanic” director James Cameron remains calm: For him, the technology is a tool – not a danger, as he explains in the interview.
Paris – Star director James Cameron is not afraid of artificial intelligence (AI) in the film industry. “Art does not function like an average of everything that has ever been made,” said the 71-year-old to the German Press Agency. “Film art is about the unique perspective and experience of individual artists – be they songwriters, actors or directors.”
Cameron’s films (“Titanic”, “Avatar” series) are among the most successful ever. His new science fiction epic “Avatar: Fire and Ash” opens in theaters on December 17th. For him, artistic originality remains irreplaceable. The 71-year-old said that AI can generate content based on existing data, but the special signature of an artist cannot be copied.
Originality as a benchmark
“You can produce a lot of mediocre content and distribute it through streaming channels – which is what networks have been doing for decades,” said the Canadian-New Zealand filmmaker. “But cinema is about an artist’s unique vision.”
This is also crucial when it comes to awards: “Where do we see something that we’ve never seen before? These models can’t do that. That’s why I’m not so worried.”
The multiple Oscar winner also emphasized the central role of the actors. “When we see an Avatar movie, it’s about real people because they’re performances by real people.”
In his epic, the actors wear motion capture suits that capture their every movement and facial expressions. This data is transferred to digital characters so that the actors’ performance is accurately replicated in the virtual world.
