Sir Peter Jackson is a New Zealand filmmaker known primarily as the creative mind behind adapting both the Lord of the Rings and the Hobbit trilogies for the big screen. Aside from his iconic J. R. R. Tolkien adaptations and other highly successful films, Jackson’s technical work in the industry has helped propel tools like CGI and other effects forward to new heights.
In the latest news about the King Kong director, Peter Jackson opened up about his thoughts on AI while speaking at a Cannes Film Festival masterclass. The newly-minted Honorary Palme d’Or winner shared that though AI could potentially “destroy the world,” it’s use in film may be a net positive if used in an original and thoughtful fashion.
“AI used in the right way, it’s just a tool like any other tool. But like anything, it’s going to come down to the imagination and originality of the person, you know, feeding the instructions into the AI program.”
He added,
“Is it actually interesting? Is it funny? Is it imaginative? Has it been stitched together well to make a narrative, a story? Some people will make really, really great films, and some people will do the exact same process, and their film will be crap — just like normal films.”
Clearly, Peter Jackson has a nuanced view on AI as it pertains to cinema, which he would go on to detail at the Cannes Film Festival masterclass.
Peter Jackson elaborates stance on AI, and more
Peter Jackson would take the time to continue to hash out his thoughts on AI during different moments in his recent Cannes Film Festival appearance. He even likened AI to the special effects used when crafting films.
“To me, it’s just a special effect. It’s no different from any other special effect.”
He added that the biggest concern as it pertains to AI is consent,
“The only thing with AI that I think is absolutely critical, is that you don’t do an AI version of an actor without their own approval.”
The esteemed director went on to say,
“You can’t play music, a song in a film, unless you own the rights to that song. You can’t adapt a book unless you have licensed the book. So you shouldn’t be able to show somebody’s face through an AI technique without the approval of whoever it is — either the person themselves, or if they’re dead, their estate. I mean, it’s pretty straightforward, really. I don’t know. I don’t see the concern about it.”
Peter Jackson also shared some interesting news about his current slate, when he confirmed to the audience that he is currently in the process of writing his long-awaited Tintin feature.
Edited by Rahul Singh