Renowned Oscar-winning filmmaker James Cameron has made a definitive statement regarding the production of his upcoming sequel, "Avatar: Fire and Ash," assuring moviegoers that no generative artificial intelligence was employed in its creation. Cameron clarified his stance in an interview with ComicBook.com, emphasizing that his public declaration is not born from a vendetta against AI but rather from a desire to affirm the indispensable role of human actors in bringing the "Avatar" characters to life through advanced performance capture technology. He stated, "I just wanted to point out we don’t use it on the ‘Avatar’ films. We honor and celebrate actors. We don’t replace actors." Cameron views the broader issue of AI's integration into Hollywood as a self-policing challenge, but one that presents an "existential threat from big AI" if it displaces artists.

The commitment to human performance is a cornerstone of the "Avatar" franchise, a principle that Cameron and his cast have championed for decades. Zoe Saldaña, who portrays Neytiri, shared her perspective with Beyond Noise, describing performance capture as "the most empowering form of acting." She elaborated on the extensive human effort involved, stating that "Avatar" would not exist without the dedicated performances of actors like Sigourney Weaver, Sam Worthington, Stephen Lang, Kate Winslet, and herself. Saldaña highlighted the rigorous training undertaken by the cast, including archery, martial arts, free diving, scuba diving to hold breath for extended periods, mastering a new language conceived by James Cameron, and physically training with experts to mimic an extraterrestrial species' movement. She credits Cameron's technology for empowering artists with "complete ownership" of their on-screen work.

Cameron himself has been a vocal advocate for the recognition of performance capture acting, particularly for Saldaña's work as Neytiri. In a 2024 interview with Variety, he asserted that the Oscars are long overdue in acknowledging her contributions. Comparing her talent to that of Academy Award-winning actors, he expressed bewilderment that her performance "doesn't count in some way" because she plays a "CG character," a notion he finds nonsensical. He lauded Saldaña's ability to transition from regal to "utterly feral" in moments, describing her as "ferocious" and a "freaking lioness."

While steadfast in his dedication to human performers for the acting aspect of his films, Cameron holds a nuanced view on AI within Hollywood. He candidly expressed his "horrifying" concern over generative AI's capability to create artificial actors and performances from scratch with simple text prompts, telling CBS’ Sunday Morning, "That’s horrifying to me." However, his perspective is not entirely anti-AI. In September 2024, Cameron announced his decision to join the board of directors for Stability AI, the company behind the notable text-to-image model Stable Diffusion. On the “Boz to the Future” podcast earlier this year, he clarified his interest, explaining that the future of blockbuster filmmaking, particularly effects-heavy, CG-intensive films like "Dune" or his own, necessitates finding ways to "cut the cost of [VFX] in half."

Cameron's vision for AI's responsible integration is not about staff reductions but about dramatically increasing the efficiency of the VFX workflow. He envisions AI doubling the speed of shot completion, thereby accelerating the production cadence and throughput cycle, allowing artists to transition to other creative endeavors more quickly. This strategic intersection of AI and Hollywood, for Cameron, lies firmly in the post-production process, away from the core filmmaking and development stages that rely on human creativity and emotional depth. He articulated his doubts about AI's ability to write a "good story" or replace screenwriters in an interview with CTV News. Cameron believes that a "disembodied mind" merely regurgitating existing human experiences and emotions will never create something truly moving for an audience, emphasizing that "You have to be human to write that."

"Avatar: Fire and Ash" is scheduled to open in theaters worldwide on December 19, distributed by Disney and 20th Century Studios, promising a cinematic experience crafted with human artistry at its core.