Renowned Hollywood director James Cameron is known for breaking new ground when it comes to visual effects. Be it the Terminator or the Avatar films, Cameron’s films are known for their unique cinematic tone and quality, often incorporating computer graphics as well as practical effects. So, it comes as no surprise that his recent move to join the board of artificial intelligence company, AI Stability, has left the internet divided.

While a section of users are surprised and disappointed, others are more receptive to the idea. Actor and film critic Amy Potter tweeted, “This is so disappointing. I keep thinking about how (Cameron) mastered creating models and other practical effects for (director/producer) Roger Corman and how that kind of human ingenuity is the thing these AI people completely devalue and want to replace with crap.”

Another tweet said, “Cameron has been open about developing new technology to move the industry forward, so this isn’t a complete surprise, but it’s disappointing that he’s sacrificing his own stated environmental values ​​for technology that’s also detrimental to his own artistic skill-building.”

One person commented, “Great news, now let’s focus on creating AI tools that enhance human creativity instead of replacing it!” Another excited fan wrote, “This is great news. I can’t wait to see what his brilliant mind is able to create with AI technology.”

Earlier, Cameron released a statement about joining the board of Stability AI and said, “I’ve spent my career exploring emerging technologies that push the boundaries of what’s possible, all in the service of telling incredible stories. I was at the forefront of CGI three decades ago, and I’ve been on the cutting edge ever since. Now, the marriage of generative AI and CGI image creation is the next wave. The convergence of these two completely different engines of creation will open up new ways for artists to tell stories in ways we’ve never imagined. Stability AI is poised to lead this transformation,” Rolling Stone quoted the director as saying.

It should be noted that the debate over the use of AI in Hollywood has been going on since last year, with writers going on strike demanding that new technologies should not be allowed to replicate their scripts or use them as blueprints. Later, actors also joined the strike so that producers are not allowed to allow AI to create duplicates of them.

Recently, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed two bills that will help protect workers from AI that threatens to impact their work in strategic, effective ways.