One of the biggest talking points in the entertainment industry is artificial intelligence. AI usage in films and television is a contentious topic, with Hollywood split between those for and against employing the technology in creative endeavors. Now, a powerful figure in the industry has opened up about her feelings on the matter: Jenna Ortega.
Following a prolific career as a child actor, Ortega (arguably) fully burst into the spotlight playing Wednesday Addams in Netflix's Wednesday series, which has been a major success for the streamer. Ortega acted as a juror at the Marrakech Film Fesitval. During the jury press conference—which took place on November 29—the topic of artificial intelligence in entertainment was brought up (via Variety). The actress provided a thoughtful and insightful take on the matter.
Confessing she was "terrified" of the shift brought on by the technology, the Wednesday star said humans typically take things too far:
"There is, weirdly, charm in the human condition and also, just, like, us as humans, we have a tendency to... when you look back at our history, we just always take things too far, and I think 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 Pandora's box, in a way."
One of the biggest points of contention regarding AI is artists losing work opportunities. With multiple mass layoffs already happening in different industries—including entertainment—the situation has put a remarkable amount of pressure on creatives. Ortega believes such worries have the ability to push artists to make their voices louder and their creativity bolder:
"[We] were talking about this a little bit yesterday, as a group. [...] About how, in these difficult times 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 is the case. But there's certain things that AI just isn't able to replicate. And yes, there's 'beautiful' in difficulty, and there's 'beautiful' in mistakes, and a computer can't do that. A computer has no soul, and it's nothing that we'll ever be able to resonate with, or relate to."
The Scream star appears to envision a long-term shift in the industry, going from people becoming so used to AI content, that they eventually begin to crave human creativity:
"I don't want to assume for the audience, but I would hope it gets to a point where it becomes sort of mental junk food—AI—and looking at the screen, suddenly we all feel sick, and we don't know why. And then, that one independent filmmaker in their backyard maybe comes out with something, and it releases this new excitement again."
The actress then concluded with: "I think, sometimes—as terrible as it is to say—sometimes audiences need to be deprived of something in order to appreciate something again."
Ortega posits an outlook that merits considering. She knows the technology is here to stay, as it becomes clearer every day. She also shines a light on the very real scenario that artists will be forced to evolve to unknown points in order for their work to stand out, thus propelling them to reach new creative heights.
It's an intimidating scenario that could put artists and creatives—who struggled to make a living in their chosen fields even before artificial intelligence—in an all-too-familiar position of survival. However, as Ortega stated, despite that potential outcome, human creativity will likely not be left behind. There is a real possibility that, once the dust settles on AI as the hot new technology, people will crave a human touch in the arts.
While artifical intelligence will, surely, continue to evolve, perhaps things will get to a point where audiences feel somewhat disconnected from the machine-made entertainment they're consuming, whether it's on social media (where AI-produced videos are a hot commodity) or movies and TV. Assuming that's where things are going, said disconnect can become the spark that encourages people to once again seek human-made content to consume.
Jenna Ortega can be seen on Wednesday, streaming on Netflix.
What did you think about Jenna Ortega's thoughts on AI? Drop your thoughts in the comments!