Jenna ortega Warns AI is ‘Pandora’s Box’ for Film and Beyond
Marrakesh – Hollywood star Jenna Ortega has voiced concerns about the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence, warning it poses risks to the film industry and the wider world. Speaking at the Marrakesh Film Festival, the 23-year-old actress stated, “it feels like we’ve opened Pandora’s Box in a way,” adding that throughout history, “we just always go too far.”
Despite her apprehension, Ortega expressed hope that the challenges presented by AI could spur a new artistic revolution, noting that “In these tough and confusing times, the artist is often pushed to speak out more, to do more, so that a new awakening and passion can occur.” She believes AI cannot replicate essential human qualities, stating, “Ther are certain things that AI simply cannot imitate. A computer has no soul.”
Ortega’s concerns are shared by fellow festival juror Bong Joon-ho,the Oscar-winning director of Parasite. Bong suggested AI could be beneficial by forcing humanity to consider “what only humans are capable of doing,” but jokingly proposed creating a global force to dismantle AI.
The discussion follows recent controversy surrounding “artificial actress” Tilly Norwood, a computer-generated performer created without the consent or compensation of human actors, as highlighted by the actors’ union SAG-AFTRA. The union stated Norwood lacks the life experience and emotional depth of a human performer.
Ortega hopes AI will eventually become a form of “mental junk food” that subtly diminishes us without our realizing why.