James Cameron's AI Prompt Would To Be In The Style Of Stanley Kubrick & Ridley Scott

The iconic director James Cameron sees generative AI as a tool to speed up production and cut costs, but warns against ethically murky use of “in the style of” prompts.

In a recent conversation on Boz to the Future, filmmaker James Cameron offered a characteristically thoughtful take on the role of AI in Hollywood. Known for pushing technological boundaries with films like Avatar and Terminator, Cameron now sees generative AI not as a threat, but as a potential ally in streamlining high-budget productions — provided it’s used with creative integrity.

Cameron believes AI could dramatically reduce the cost of visual effects-heavy films, saying, “If we want to continue seeing epic CG-heavy movies like Dune or Avatar, we’ve got to figure out how to cut the cost in half.” His vision isn’t about replacing artists, but accelerating their workflows, allowing them to work more efficiently and creatively across projects. “That’s about doubling their speed to completion,” he emphasized, adding that AI integration should increase—not decrease—opportunities for artists.

Still, he’s uneasy about AI-generated content that mimics other creators. Prompts like “in the style of James Cameron” make him “a little bit queasy,” highlighting ethical and legal concerns about originality in the age of AI.

“I aspire to be in the style of Ridley Scott, in the style of Stanley Kubrick. That’s my text prompt that runs in my head as a filmmaker,” Cameron said. “In the style of George Miller: Wide Lens, low, hauling ass, coming up into a tight close up. Yeah, I want to do that. I know my influences. Everybody knows their influences.”

As a board member at Stability AI, Cameron’s interest goes beyond theory. He’s hands-on in understanding how AI tools like Stable Diffusion could support rather than overshadow VFX professionals. “My goal wasn’t to make a pile of money,” he said. “It was to understand the space and find ways to integrate it into a VFX workflow.”

Cameron also weighed in on the debate over regulating AI’s training data versus its outputs. His take? Focus on the results. “You can’t control my input,” he argued. “Judge the output. Every script I write should be judged on whether it’s too close or plagiaristic.” He likened human creativity to a model itself—trained by life, but producing unique results through interpretation and reinvention.

While giants like OpenAI and Meta aim their innovations at billions, Cameron believes smaller, boutique AI developers will shape the future of film. His current focus? Solving real VFX problems like rotoscoping, not building AI to write the next Avatar. That said, Avatar: Fire and Ash, due this December, will include a note: no generative AI was used.

In a world rapidly shifting under AI’s influence, Cameron’s vision reminds us that innovation works best when paired with intention, ethics, and a deep respect for human creativity.

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Source: Hollywood Reporter

Photo Credit: Masterclass