Naomie Harris touched down at Deadline’s Red Sea Studio in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on Thursday where the Moonlight actress shared her thoughts on AI, the crucial roles festivals play and hinted at a new startup tech company that she has co-founded.
“I think that AI is absolutely the future,” she said. “And I think AI has a tremendous amount to offer all industries – not just film. But, like everything that’s powerful and potent, it has to be approached really cautiously and with really careful, considered guardrails. And that’s my concern that in the haste to implement AI that those guardrails are in place.”
The UK native said that she has been doing her own market research on AI while getting her new tech company off the ground. While she wouldn’t reveal much about the startup, she did say it was “a conscious, AI-centered wellness platform for building connection.”
“What’s really interesting, when I’ve been doing my market research with my own product, is that people don’t actually like pure AI…they can’t really connect and relate,” said Harris. “People want the human element. There’s something wonderful about people making mistakes and not being perfect. That’s what makes us human and beautiful, and nothing can replace that emotional heart that we have. So, I think people are going to be disappointed because AI is not going to be the all and everything and I think, in some ways, there is going to be a revolt against it.”
She added: “I’m obviously one of those people that’s an advocate for AI, absolutely, but I just think it needs to be used in an incredibly ethical way.”
Harris is in town for the Red Sea International Film Festival where she’s serving as a jury member for the fest’s main competition program. Speaking about the role festivals play in the lifespan of a film, Harris said they were integral for launching projects from underrepresented regions.
“I’ve been through the festival circuit with Moonlight so I know it well,” she said, adding that festivals “try and level the playing field” for films from all economies, countries and budgets.
“It’s really surprising to see those films that catch fire and that people start talking about in a festival,” she said. “And it makes such a huge difference to get those rewards and to get that momentum behind it and then it gets a global audience which is ultimately the aim.”
The Red Sea International Film Festival runs December 4-13, 2025.
