Skynet-wary James Cameron has

joined the board of an AI company.

 

When the man of Skynet ventures into AI, what could go wrong?

James Cameron, a Canadian filmmaker who created the classic movie “The Terminator,” in which a rogue AI wipes out most of humanity, is joining the AI trend.

When the man of Skynet ventures into AI, what could go wrong?

Cameron will be joining the board of directors of Stability AI, the generative AI business that created the well-known image generator Stable Diffusion, the company announced today.

“I’ve spent my career seeking out emerging technologies that push the very boundaries of what’s possible, all in the service of telling incredible stories,” Cameron stated in a press release. More than three decades ago, I was at the vanguard of CGI, and I’ve continued to be at the forefront ever since. The next big thing is now the meeting point of generative AI and CGI image generation.”

It’s a noteworthy inclusion for reasons more than merely Cameron’s immense power in the film industry. Actors are fighting for their right not to have their voice or likeness replaced by artificial intelligence (AI), and the usage of generative AI in the entertainment business has proven to be very contentious.

Just last week, California passed two new bills protecting actors and performers against AI, setting a precedent for future tech legislation. So now that one of the highest-grossing directors of all time has thrown his weight behind the tech, the debate could take on a new urgency.

cutting-edge CGI “will unlock new ways for artists to tell stories in ways we could have never imagined.”

With his “Avatar” film series, which are fully computer-generated blockbusters, Cameron has a history of pushing the boundaries of digital filmmaking.

None the less, stability AI has a highly chequered history. Despite former CEO Emad Mostaque raising $100 million for the business in 2022, the company suffered a severe cash shortage earlier this year.

The Information reported in May that the company generated less than $5 million in revenue in the first quarter of this year

Prem Akkaraju, a former CEO of significant visual effects company Weta Digital, was named as Stability AI’s new CEO in June. The corporation received a $80 million capital infusion at that time, which was highly needed.

Things might improve for the once struggling organization now that a major player in Hollywood has thrown his support behind it.

However, it is unclear where that leaves the discussion of generative AI’s application in the entertainment sector, especially in light of human actors’ and performers’ rights.