Avatar director James Cameron says using AI in blockbuster films is not about laying off half the staff but �?

TOI Tech Desk / TIMESOFINDIA.COM / Apr 11, 2025, 16:48 IST

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James Cameron believes artificial intelligence can halve blockbuster film costs without job losses by boosting visual effects artists' efficiency. Joining Stability AI's board to understand AI, Cameron envisions AI as a tool for artists to accelerate their work and explore new creative avenues. He addresses copyright concerns by suggesting that human artists are inherently models themselves.

Academy Award-winning director James Cameron believes artificial intelligence could be the solution to Hollywood's financial challenges, suggesting that blockbuster film costs need to be reduced by 50% - but he emphasizes this shouldn't come at the expense of jobs.
Speaking on Meta's "Boz to the Future" podcast with CTO Andrew Bosworth, Cameron outlined his vision for AI integration in filmmaking workflows, particularly for effects-heavy productions.
"We've got to figure out how to cut the cost of that in half," Cameron said regarding big-budget, CG-heavy blockbusters. "That's not about laying off half the staff and the effects company. That's about doubling their speed to completion on a given shot, so your cadence is faster and your throughput cycle is faster."

Cameron says his decision of joining Stability AI's board of directors wasn't about making money

The "Avatar" director, who joined Stability AI's board of directors in 2024, explained that his involvement with AI companies stems from his desire to understand the technology rather than financial gain. "My goal was not necessarily to make a shit pile of money. The goal was to understand the space," Cameron said.
His comments come as Hollywood continues to face budget constraints due to reduced content orders and disappointing box office returns. Cameron envisions AI as a tool that could allow visual effects artists to work more efficiently and "move on and do other cool things."

Avatar director says everybody who's an artist in a model for AI training

Addressing industry concerns about AI training data and copyright issues, Cameron suggested a different perspective. "I think people are looking at it all wrong," he said. "I'm an artist. Anybody that's an artist, anybody that's a human being, is a model."
Cameron's stance represents a notable evolution in his thinking about AI, as he had previously expressed more critical views before joining Stability AI, the company behind Stable Diffusion, a popular text-to-image AI model.

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