James Cameron Says AI Will Never Take The Place Of Art

TV & Film

Oct 5

a Na’vi wearing frills on the sides of their face and holding sickle-shaped tools with arms raised. the Na’vi is standing in front of a massive swirling bonfire — Image Source: *IMDb*

Artificial Intelligence and the generative content created by the various programs are heavily contested topics. A variety of voices have chimed in on the subject. From frequent debates to lawsuits cropping up, the subject of AI-generated content is extremely divisive. In an interview with Variety regarding his upcoming film Avatar: Fire and Ash (2025), director James Cameron made his stance firm on the use of AI in the creative space.

Cameron established the point where the crew is at for the development of the film, “We’re going through the finish of the VFX now [on Fire and Ash] — we have been, really, for the last two years, but we’re really coming down to the wire now.” The process has been long, but it has fostered a unique and creative environment in which artists can truly delve deep into the universe. The director explained, “Now, they may be on version 400 but they’ve had enough input previously that they’re now working within a culture that encourages the creativity and the specificity of our “Avatar” world and our characters.”

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a Na’vi surfing on the back of a large swimming creature across a body of water, the sun reflecting off the water. smaller green creatures surround the Na’vi, flying as they surf — Image Source: *IMDb*

He continued, “So this idea of really encouraging them to think as storytellers is really paying off.” Cameron drove his point home, highlighting the need for human touch in the craft, “And this is why the Gen AI stuff is never going to take the place of that. We need our artists. It’s artists in control of the process, right?”

Avatar: Fire and Ash is currently scheduled to hit theaters on December 19, 2025. The film focuses on the impact Neteyam's passing had on Jake and Neytiri’s family. A new Na’vi tribe, the Ash People, will be introduced, siding with Quaritch and escalating conflict on Pandora to new heights. It will be the third installment to the Avatar franchise; the next two planned installments are aiming for a 2029 and 2031 release window, respectively. While you wait for Fire and Ash (2025), Avatar (2009) and Avatar: The Way of Water (2022) are available to stream on Disney+.

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