James Cameron on AI: it’s ‘just as creative’ as people, but with no ‘unique lived experience’

Legendary filmmaker James Cameron is weighing in on one of today’s most debated topics: artificial intelligence. Speaking alongside Meta CTO Andrew Bosworth, Cameron shared his perspective on how AI stacks up against human creativity. While he admits that AI is “just as creative” as people, he stressed that it lacks one crucial element—our “unique lived experience.”

Cameron’s comments came during Meta Connect, where he and Bosworth revealed the first fruits of Meta’s multiyear partnership with Cameron’s Lightstorm Vision. Quest headset owners can now preview a stereoscopic clip from the upcoming Avatar 3 using the Horizon TV app.

Why James Cameron partnered with Meta

When asked why he chose Meta as a collaborator, Cameron explained that stereoscopic media has always been central to his vision for storytelling. After years of experimenting with 3D in cinema, he saw mixed reality headsets as the perfect platform to revive and evolve the experience.

“I had been proselytizing about stereoscopic media for 25 years. In headsets, you’re innately a stereoscopic viewer. It felt like the right moment to bring it back,” Cameron said.

Andrew Bosworth echoed this sentiment, saying that Meta had been searching for a partner in stereoscopic production, while Cameron was looking for a tech ally. “We were looking for each other without realizing it,” Bosworth noted.

James Cameron on AI and creativity

Cameron didn’t hold back when the conversation shifted to generative AI. He acknowledged that AI can produce art, stories, and images at a remarkable pace, but argued that it falls short in one key way.

According to Cameron, AI lacks the depth of human memory, emotion, and lived experience that fuels authentic creativity. While machines can remix and generate ideas, they cannot replicate the personal journeys, struggles, and insights that shape human art.

This distinction highlights why Cameron believes humans will always have an edge in storytelling, even as AI tools become more advanced.

The future of 3D and AI in entertainment

The Meta–Lightstorm Vision partnership could be a turning point for immersive entertainment. By combining Cameron’s decades of experience in stereoscopic filmmaking with Meta’s hardware, audiences may finally get the kind of high-quality 3D content that 3D TVs never quite delivered.

At the same time, Cameron’s comments on AI remind creators and audiences alike that technology is only one piece of the puzzle. While AI might be “just as creative” as humans in generating content, it lacks the soul that comes from lived experience—something Cameron insists is irreplaceable.

James Cameron’s perspective on AI strikes a balance between recognition and caution. Yes, AI is powerful and creative. But without the human touch of unique lived experiences, it risks producing content that feels hollow. For Cameron, the future of entertainment lies in harnessing technology like mixed reality and AI while never losing sight of the human spirit that drives storytelling.