James Cameron, Who Warned of Skynet, Joins Board of AI Company

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Canadian filmmaker James Cameron, the man behind the iconic film "The Terminator" — in which a rogue AI destroys most of humankind — is jumping on the AI bandwagon.

The guy behind Skynet getting into AI — what could possibly go wrong?

Generative AI company Stability AI, the firm behind the popular image generator Stable Diffusion, announced today that Cameron will be joining its board of directors.

"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 said in a statement.

"I was at the forefront of CGI over three decades ago, and I’ve stayed on the cutting edge since. Now, the intersection of generative AI and CGI image creation is the next wave."

It's a notable addition, not just because of Cameron's sheer amount of influence in Hollywood. The use of generative AI in the entertainment industry has proven highly controversial, with actors fighting for their right to not have their likeness or voice be replaced with AI.

Just last week, California passed two new bills protecting actors and performersagainst 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.

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To Cameron, AI combined with cutting-edge CGI "will unlock new ways for artists to tell stories in ways we could have never imagined."

Cameron has a track record of pushing the envelope when it comes to digital filmmaking, including the "Avatar" series, blockbuster movies that are entirely computer-generated.

Stability AI, despite its name, has had a very rocky past. Earlier this year, the company faced a severe cash crunch, despite former CEO Emad Mostaque raising $100 million for the venture in 2022.

The Information reported in May that the company generated less than $5 million in revenue in the first quarter of this year, while losing more than $30 million.

In June, Stability AI appointed its new CEO, Prem Akkaraju, who previously led major visual effects company Weta Digital. At the time, the company got a much-needed cash injection of $80 million.

Now that a Hollywood juggernaut has thrown his weight behind the company, things could turn around the once-ailing firm.

But where that leaves the debate surrounding the use of generative AI in the industry, particularly when it comes to the rights of human actors and performers, remains to be seen.

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