Cameron and Ortega Fear AI Could Kill Film's Humanity — Artists Brace for Fallout

Jenna Ortega and James Cameron Say AI Lacks Humanity as Hollywood Stars Sound the Alarm

The rumble of concern about artificial intelligence in Hollywood has grown into a roar. And with major Hollywood figures such as Jenna Ortega and James Cameron expressing their anxieties, the entertainment world is wrestling with what AI might take away from cinema.

This also comes at a time when studios and technologists are pushing generative AI (gen-AI) as the next step in film production. Now, these voices argue that AI threatens the very soul of storytelling and that artists must fight to preserve what makes films human.

Why Jenna Ortega Hates AI in Cinema

At the 2025 Marrakech Film Festival, Jenna Ortega spoke plainly about the fear gripping many in the film industry. She said that when she considers the role of AI in cinema, 'it's very easy to be terrified.' She added bluntly: 'A computer has no soul.'

Ortega argued that some of the most remarkable qualities of cinema, which are the beauty of imperfection, the emotional weight of human error, and the messy but real vulnerability of flesh and blood actors, are beyond the reach of any machine. She said,

'But there's certain things that AI just isn't able to replicate. There's beauty in difficulty and there's beauty in mistakes, and a computer can't do that. '

However, Ortega showed a glimmer of hope as she suggested that the anxiety generated by AI might push artists to double down on their craft to exercise renewed passion, protect artistic integrity, and reaffirm the value of human creativity in uncertain times, as she said,

'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,'

So, for her, the potential downside is chilling: AI-generated media could become 'mental junk food,' soulless content that leaves audiences feeling hollow and disconnected until they rediscover a hunger for something genuine.

James Cameron's View of AI in Hollywood

James Cameron's views on generative AI are more complicated but no less cautionary. As a director known for pushing visual effects boundaries from the deep sea wonders of The Abyss to the beautiful world of Avatar, he knows better than most what technology can achieve. But even he draws a firm line when it comes to AI replacing human performers.

Speaking recently in a CBS News interview, Cameron said the idea that AI could 'make up a character, make up an actor and make up a performance from scratch with a text prompt' is 'horrifying.' Moreover, to him, that crosses the line from technological assistance to erasure of human artistry.

He did reportedly acknowledge that generative AI has its uses, for example, to streamline certain aspects of visual effects production, reduce costs, or speed up timelines. But he drew a clear boundary: AI should remain a tool, not a substitute. The core part of creating movies, which is writing, performance, character, and emotion, must remain in human hands.

Cameron emphasised the value of collaboration between director, actor and artist. So for him, what matters is not the illusion of perfection or the efficiency of automation, but the 'sacred creative act' which is the unpredictable, fragile alchemy of human experience turned into art.