James Cameron warns of 'Terminator'-style apocalypse due to AI
What's the story
James Cameron, the Oscar-winning director behind Titanic and Avatar, has voiced his concerns over the potential dangers of artificial intelligence (AI) when combined with weaponry. In a recent interview with Rolling Stone, he warned that such an amalgamation could lead to a Terminator-style apocalypse. The discussion was part of his promotion for the book Ghosts of Hiroshima, which he plans to adapt into a movie.
Director's warning
Cameron's 'Terminator' warning
Cameron expressed his fears about an arms race fueled by AI, stating, "I do think there's still a danger of a 'Terminator'-style apocalypse where you put AI together with weapons systems." He added that this could extend to nuclear weapon systems and defense counterstrikes. The director stressed the rapid nature of operations and quick decision-making windows in such scenarios, which would require super-intelligence to navigate.
Human fallibility
Concerns about human involvement in AI decision-making
Cameron also raised concerns about keeping humans in the loop of AI decision-making processes. He acknowledged that humans are fallible and have made mistakes that nearly led to international incidents, including nuclear war. "Because the theater of operations is so rapid, the decision windows are so fast... maybe we'll be smart and keep a human in the loop," he said. However, he added, "Humans are fallible... So I don't know."
Film industry
Exploring AI for blockbuster filmmaking
Despite his concerns, Cameron is exploring how AI can aid in making blockbuster movies. He joined the board of directors for Stability AI, the company behind the text-to-image model Stable Diffusion. In a podcast earlier this year, he said that cutting visual effects costs by half could be key to the future of blockbuster filmmaking. "We've got to figure out how to cut the cost in half," he said about using AI for this purpose.
Screenwriting doubts
Cameron on AI and screenwriting
Despite his interest in AI's potential, Cameron remains skeptical about its ability to write compelling screenplays. In a 2023 interview with CTV News, he said he didn't believe AI could create a "good story" that could replace human screenwriters. He argued that AI is just "regurgitating what other embodied minds have said" and doesn't have the capacity to create something that moves an audience.