Jenna Ortega on AI in film: 'AI is terrifying'

Jenna Ortega opened up about the rise of artificial intelligence at the Marrakech Film Festival, calling it “very easy to be terrified” by its impact on filmmaking and the world.

Serving on the festival jury alongside Bong Joon Ho, the Wednesday star warned that AI feels like “Pandora’s box,” while also hinting at its potential to inspire new creativity.

Reflecting on human history, Ortega said, “We just always take things too far, and I think it’s very easy to be terrified — I know I am — of deep uncertainty.”

The Emmy-nominated actress said it feels as if a “Pandora’s box” has been opened, but she hopes AI innovation could prove revolutionary for artists.

“In these difficult and confusing times, oftentimes it pushes the artist to speak out more, to do more, for there to be this new awakening and passion and protection, and I want to assume and hope that that’s the case,” she said.

Ortega added that AI is still unable to “replicate” some things.

“There’s beauty in difficulty and there’s beauty in mistakes, and a computer can’t do that,” she noted. “A computer has no soul.”

Bong nodded along with Ortega’s ideas, adding that AI might be “good” only because it forces society to finally consider what truly sets humans apart.

Still, he joked that his own solution would be to “form a military squad whose mission is to wipe out AI across the globe.”

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