Inception, Interstellar, Tenet and now Oppenheimer- Christopher Nolan is a director who adores science and technology. Nolan has explored the concepts of space-time continuum, quantum physics, interpretation of dreams, and even time travel through his movies. 

 It is not the first time these concepts are explored in Hollywood. But what makes Nolan's movies different from other sci-fi films? Research, scripting, the science behind the story, and the list goes on. Christopher Nolan is a dreamer who is closer to reality. His vision is knotted with scientific facts, evident in every work. 

 AI is now widely leveraged in entertainment. Hollywood uses AI to create props and backgrounds from scratch. AI can make aliens land on Earth, animals talk, cars fly, and make an ordinary man superhuman. AI undoubtedly bring human imaginations to reality. Also, leveraging AI in movie production is favorable to time and budget. 

 Though Christopher Nolan enjoys technological innovations, he is not a fan of CGI and VFX. Nolan's cinematic universe is known for the limited use of filmmaking graphics. While the world eagerly awaits the release of his next venture Oppenheimer on 21st July, the director has promised the audience that the movie will feature Zero CGI shots. 

 The movie portrays the life of Julius Robert Oppenheimer, an American theoretical physicist popularly known as the "father of the atomic bomb". His role in the famous Manhattan Project created the first nuclear weapon in the world. Nolan has called him the most important man who ever lived. 

According to Nolan, he restrained from using CGI in Oppenheimer because the film is a thread between the interior process of the scientist, his imagination, visualisation of atoms, molecules, those interactions and energy waves. He is trying to recreate a thread that runs from the right through to the ultimate expression of the destructive power when that force is unleashed. 

Nolan is not against AI 

 Recently, Wired published an interview with the director in light of his new movie. In the interaction, Nolan pointed out that he isn't one to mince words when it comes to the hazards of AI. He knows the world has been tiptoeing around this digital minefield for years. 

 He stated his opinion that it is only now that the media is truly concerned because AI threatens their livelihoods, reflecting a broader concern about how technology, including AI, can be used by companies to evade responsibility for their actions.  

Nolan remarked that the most significant danger of AI is that we attribute these godlike characteristics to it and therefore let ourselves off the hook. He questions the human tendency to create false idols, to mold something in our image.  

The director is optimistic about AI's potential as a powerful tool. He sees AI's ability to contribute to visual effects, such as deep-fake technology, and envisions future advancements in live environment creation and data analysis. 

Creativity over AI  

Christopher Nolan's works prove that AI will not wholly overpower human creativity. In the movie Oppenheimer and every other movie Nolan directed, there are tremendous opportunities to use CGI. But he chose to give importance to practical effects. Thus, space shuttles were replicated, and bombs were exploded. 

 Did this reduce the relevance of his movies? No. On the contrary, it stood out from CGI-generated scenes. Therefore, the fear of being replaced by AI, which is one of the major concerns for many, is baseless. In the long run, it will enhance the prestige of human-generated content. 

 As a man who grew up revolting against the use of nuclear arms in the 60s, Nolan has clear political visions. He draws a parallel between AI and Oppenheimer in the conversation with Wired. Oppenheimer's story showcases the double-edged nature of technology, an improvement and a weapon. Similarly, AI holds immense potential only if we handle it carefully to restrict it from turning into the Darth Vader of technology. 

Wired