Oscar-award-winning director James Cameron said he believes advancements in artificial intelligence technology pose a serious risk to humanity, and reminded fans he issued a stark warning about this long ago.
The “Titanic” and “Avatar” director said he saw this problem coming a long time ago and is surprised that people are just now beginning to notice the dangers lurking ahead. He reminded fans that he first raised concerns about an AI takeover during an interview about his 1984 movie “Terminator,” according to CTV News. “I warned you guys in 1984, and you didn’t listen,” he said.
The so-called Godfathers of AI have warned that the regulation of AI is required to protect humanity, and Cameron agrees.
“I absolutely share their concern,” Cameron said to CTV News Chief Political Correspondent Vassy Kapelos on Tuesday.
Cameron went on to say it’s important to evaluate the developers of AI technology, and whether they’re doing it for profit, “‘teaching greed,” or for defense, which he refers to as “teaching paranoia,” according to CTV News.
“I think the weaponization of AI is the biggest danger,” Cameron said.
“I think that we will get into the equivalent of a nuclear arms race with AI, and if we don’t build it, the other guys are for sure going to build it, and so then it’ll escalate,” he said.
Cameron touched on the lack of control and the serious effects this situation could cause. (RELATED: Elon Musk Announces New Artificial Intelligence Company)
“You could imagine an AI in a combat theatre, the whole thing just being fought by the computers at a speed humans can no longer intercede, and you have no ability to deescalate,” he said.
His comments echo those of over 160,000 actors and members of SAF-AFTRA that joined more than 11,000 members of the Writers Guild of America. They have also cited AI technology as a point of contention during an ongoing, unprecedented Hollywood strike.