Young Hollywood star Jenna Ortega has issued a powerful warning about artificial intelligence's growing influence in the film industry, expressing serious concerns that Hollywood is heading into dangerous territory with its rapid adoption of AI technology.
A Stark Warning From Marrakech
While serving as the youngest jury member in the history of the Marrakech Film Festival, the 23-year-old Wednesday actress didn't hold back when discussing Hollywood's controversial AI boom. Ortega delivered her striking comments during the prestigious festival, capturing attention with her thoughtful perspective on the technology's potential dangers.
"There is really charm in the human condition… as humans, we have a tendency to always, when you look back at history, take things too far," Ortega stated, according to Deadline. "It's very easy to be terrified. I know I am in times like this of deep uncertainty. And it kind of feels like we've opened up a Pandora's Box."
The Soul of Human Creativity
Ortega passionately argued that artificial intelligence fundamentally cannot replicate the beautiful imperfections that make human creativity resonate with audiences. She emphasised the unique qualities that separate human artistry from computer-generated content.
"There's certain things that AI just isn't able to replicate, and yes, there's beautiful, difficult mistakes, and a computer can't do that," she explained. "A computer has no soul, and it's nothing that we would ever be able to resonate with or relate to."
The actress went even further, imagining a future where audiences become exhausted by AI-generated content and eventually crave a return to raw, human storytelling. She expressed hope that this technological over-saturation would lead to a renewed appreciation for authentic creative work.
Personal Experience With AI's Dark Side
Ortega's concerns about AI aren't merely theoretical. The actress revealed she has personally experienced the technology's disturbing capabilities, particularly regarding fake, sexually explicit images of herself circulating online when she was still a minor.
"I hate AI," Ortega stated bluntly during an episode of The Interview podcast with The New York Times. "... Did I like being 14 [years old] and making a Twitter account because I was supposed to, and seeing dirty edited content of me as a child? No. It's terrifying. It's corrupt."
She continued with even stronger language: "It's wrong. It's disgusting." Despite her strong criticisms, Ortega did acknowledge that AI has done "incredible things" in certain fields, specifically mentioning its ability to "detect breast cancer." However, she insisted the technology should remain confined to such beneficial applications.
The Disney Channel alum explained that after years of encountering fake photos of herself and receiving explicit images from others, she has developed a tendency to stay off social media platforms. She revealed deleting some of her accounts about two to three years ago because of the "absurd images and photos" that flooded her feeds after Wednesday became successful.
Ortega added that despite being encouraged to maintain her social media presence to "build" her "image," the explicit content prompted her to delete X (formerly known as Twitter). She described how even when she attempted to share political statements or personal updates, she was "greeted with this stuff" that made her feel "disgusting" and "uncomfortable."
When asked if she's still learning how to protect herself in the digital age, Ortega confirmed she remains "still" working on developing those skills, highlighting the ongoing challenge public figures face in maintaining their wellbeing while navigating online spaces.
