George Lucas, who is one of the most influential people in modern filmmaking but hasn’t made a movie in some years now, says that artificial intelligence makes it easier to create cinema.

In conversation with A Rabbit’s Foot, the Star Wars creator compares the debate around AI to the evolution of vehicles.

“It’s very much like sitting here saying, ‘Well, I believe the horse and the buggy is really where it’s at. These cars, they break down, they need gas, there’s all kinds of problems with them and pretty soon they’ll be making them into tanks, and then they’ll be killing people. It’s terrible.’ There’s nothing you can do about it,” Lucas says.

The director calls AI “progress” and “the future.” When quizzed on some of the risks around the technology, Lucas says it is capable of solving its own problems.

“If you want AI that tells you when something is fake and where it came from, AI can do that,” he says. “Humans can’t, we’re not that smart. The whole idea is you’re a human being, you’re responsible for what you say and what you do, and if you’re doing something that’s illegal you should be punished for that. Whatever you do, you should be recognised. It’s just like real life.”

Lucas sold the Star Wars franchise to Disney in 2012 in a deal worth $4 billion. He famously founded Industrial Light & Magic (ILM) in 1975 to create the special effects for Star Wars. Initially, it focused on practical effects, motion control photography, miniatures, and optical compositing.

Before becoming a pioneer in CGI, Lucas was a cameraman on the 1966 movie Grand Prix. He landed the job thanks to his student project 1:42.08 to Qualify, an eight-minute documentary-style piece that followed racer Peter Brock attempting to qualify in a Lotus 23 at Willow Springs Raceway. Lucas shot a lot of the footage riding alongside Brock to capture the gear changes and instrument panels. The film, devoid of dialogue, focuses on visceral, kinetic visuals that remain influential in automotive cinematography.

Lucas is not the only auteur to embrace AI: Martin Scorsese recently joined AI image company Black Forest Labs as an adviser.

Image creditsHeader photo licensed via Depositphotos.