Avatar director James Cameron warns about AI-generated actors replacing real artists on screen: "That’s horrifying to me"

James, renowned for his groundbreaking use of technology, stressed that despite embracing innovation in visual effects, he has no interest in replacing human artistry.

Filmmaker James Cameron, the visionary behind blockbusters like Avatar and Titanic, has shared his growing concerns about the rise of AI-generated actors, admitting that the thought of computers replacing human performers is deeply unsettling to him.

In a recent conversation with CBS’s Sunday Morning, Cameron opened up about the rapid evolution of generative AI and its potential impact on the future of filmmaking. He explained that the idea of artificial intelligence being able to invent actors, characters, or entire performances feels fundamentally wrong to him.

“Now, go to the other end of the spectrum, and you’ve got generative AI... Where they can make up a character, they can make up an actor. They can make up a performance from scratch with a text prompt. It’s like, no. That’s horrifying to me. That’s the opposite. That’s exactly what we’re not doing," he said.

James, renowned for his groundbreaking use of technology, stressed that despite embracing innovation in visual effects, he has no interest in replacing human artistry. “I don’t want a computer doing what I pride myself on being able to do with actors. I don’t want to replace actors, I love working with actors,” he added, reaffirming his creative philosophy.

At 71, the director acknowledged that technology can indeed be helpful, particularly in reducing the cost of VFX-heavy productions. But he also warned that the current landscape of the film industry has become inhospitable to original, imaginative storytelling.

“Right now, imaginative films, fantastic films, science-fiction films — they’re starting to die off as a breed because they’re expensive and the theatrical marketplace has contracted and now studios are only comfortable spending those kinds of dollar amounts with blue-chip IP, that which we’ve seen, that which we know. I mean, a movie like Avatar would never get made in that environment. That was brand-new IP; nobody had ever heard of it."

Also read: Avatar could end with Fire and Ash on one condition; James Cameron might conclude the franchise if it fails to earn enough

Cameron’s Avatar franchise has redefined cinematic world-building since the first film released in 2009. Its sequel, Avatar: The Way of Water, arrived in 2022, continuing the epic saga of Pandora as the Na’vi face new threats from humanity’s relentless pursuit.

The third chapter, Avatar: Fire and Ash, filmed back-to-back with The Way of Water, once again stars Zoe Saldaña and Sam Worthington. It delves deeper into the escalating conflict between the Na’vi and the returning forces of the RDA. The film is slated to hit theatres on 19 December.