Chris Pratt is known for blockbuster movies and lighthearted comedy, but this week he offered a surprisingly thought-provoking take on artificial intelligence — and how it compares to the divine. While promoting his new film Mercy, Pratt told reporters that AI might reshape the entertainment world, but it will never reach the level of God. His comments immediately caught the attention of fans who appreciated the actor’s willingness to bring faith into the cultural conversation.

“AI is manmade, and so it cannot be God,” Pratt said. “It’s inherently flawed, and it always will be because it’s made by the brokenness of man.” He added, “So it will always be limited in the way we are limited. It is not God, and it will not replace God.” In an era when Silicon Valley leaders talk openly about AI reshaping society — and sometimes even hint at spiritual comparisons — Pratt’s words struck a counter-cultural note.

Still, the actor didn’t dismiss AI altogether. Speaking with Tech Radar, Pratt noted that new technology always comes with disruption. “We’re in a bit of an intellectual and creative revolution right now,” he said. “So I think that there are people who have had steady jobs in the film business that are probably going to be displaced by AI. That should be first and foremost recognized as what’s troubling and painful, and my heart goes out to people who would lose their jobs in this industry.” Hollywood unions have already battled studios over AI tools that can replicate actors’ likenesses and even generate performances without them — a concern that helped fuel the 2023 writers’ and actors’ strikes.

Even so, Pratt believes AI also opens new creative doors. “I think you’re going to see a lot more movies and a lot more of people’s visions being brought to screen because of generative AI and what it can do to help take those visions and put it up on a screen,” he said. “For the jobs that it offsets, I’m hopeful that it will create incredible opportunities for people to use it as a tool. It almost becomes a new department in collaboration of many.”

Pratt’s interest in the debate isn’t abstract. In Mercy, he stars as a detective on trial for the murder of his wife — and the judge presiding over his case isn’t human at all, but an AI system tasked with determining his fate. The film’s storyline may be fictional, but Pratt’s caution about what technology can and cannot replace comes at a moment when culture is asking similar questions.