James Cameron Hints at Using “Ethical” AI to Speed Up Future ‘Avatar’ Movies
James Cameron is thinking about using generative AI to make future Avatar films faster, but he wants to do it carefully and ethically.
In an interview with Deadline ahead of the release of Avatar: Fire and Ash, Cameron explained that he has avoided using AI so far, but he sees potential for it in some parts of the visual effects process.
“Generative AI is a very powerful tool. We just need to tame it, and we need to use it ethically,” Cameron said. “We haven’t used it on the Avatar films, and that’s pretty much all I’ve been doing for the last few years. But I’m very curious about it. There are specific tasks in VFX that are boring and repetitive, and maybe AI can help there. We just have to make sure it doesn’t intrude on the actor, the writer, or the director.”
Cameron emphasized that he is strongly against replacing human actors with AI. He wants the human element to remain central to filmmaking. “I’ll be very vocal… I want to make sure that we’re not replacing actors, and that we’re not bringing up a next generation of directors that think they can cut out the acting part of the process,” he added.
The comments came during a special screening of Avatar: Fire and Ash in Los Angeles, where Cameron also addressed misconceptions about the film’s motion capture process. Some viewers assumed AI was being used to replace actors, which Cameron said was unfair to his cast, including Sam Worthington, who has worked with Cameron on the Avatar films for over a decade.
“We realized that people were starting to conflate our process with AI, and that’s entirely my fault. I didn’t want the public to see the marker suits and head rigs before they saw the movie,” Cameron said.
He wanted audiences to understand the full effort and skill involved in the actors’ performances. “You guys weren’t getting the proper credit for the hard work and the great work that you were doing… People thinking it’s a voice part couldn’t be farther from the truth.”
Avatar franchise started with the 2009 original and includes Avatar: The Way of Water (2022) and Avatar Fire and Ash. The series is one of the most expensive film franchises ever, with combined budgets estimated at $1 billion and global grosses over $5.2 billion. Cameron described the sequels as a natural continuation of the original themes, characters, and spiritual elements.
“We’re not talking about artificial super intelligence. That’s a whole separate problem. But generative AI in the hands of filmmakers could help with specific tasks while preserving the artistry,” Cameron said.
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