Hollywood strike: How artificial intelligence will disrupt Nollywood

Hollywood has been on strike with one of the reasons being concerns that Artificial intelligence (AI) will replace them. The actors and writers also striking over fair compensation and protections from the encroachment of artificial intelligence.

The use of AI in the creative industry either to write scripts, generate actors’ likenesses, or cut corners in paying for creative work, has been a major point of contention, the Nigerian entertainment industry has not been exempt from the introduction of AI as it tends to make an impact.

Soon or later according to experts, there could be strong concerns about AI technology affecting their role in the industry.

“There has been an exploration in AI in various aspects of its operations in Pre-production tasks, Content personalization, and search optimization and disruption but with the right policies and regulations in place, Nigeria can become a leader in AI,” said Olamide Olaitan, A&R and lead consultant at The Agency African.

According to Olaitan, Nigeria is still in the process of developing policy, legal, and regulatory frameworks for AI. Clear guidelines and regulations are needed to address ethical considerations, data protection, and accountability in the use of AI in the entertainment industry.

“The successful adoption of AI requires a skilled workforce with expertise in AI technologies. Nigeria needs to invest in AI education and training programs to bridge the skills and talent gap in the entertainment industry,” said Olaitan

It is likely that AI technology will advance more and become more advanced. This may eventually enable artists and producers to produce content that cannot be distinguished from human-produced content.

Olaitan says the revolutionary potential of AI comes with a number of risks and concerns, including cyber-attacks, data breaches, and privacy violations. To protect sensitive data, the Nigerian entertainment industry must address these concerns and deploy strong cybersecurity measures.

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“Clear guidelines and regulations are needed to address ethical considerations, data protection, and accountability in the use of AI in the entertainment industry. The Nigerian government has a crucial role to play in supporting the development of AI in the entertainment industry.

“By providing funding and incentives for AI startups, promoting AI education and awareness, developing a comprehensive AI policy, collaborating with international organizations, investing in AI research and development, and addressing data availability and quality, the government can create an enabling environment for the adoption of AI in the entertainment industry and beyond,” said Olaitan.

AI could be used in the Nigerian entertainment industry to develop new material, generate fresh story ideas, write scripts, and compose music. It can also be used to arrange schedules, locate sites that best suit the storylines, and assist with other pre-production tasks. This allows creatives to concentrate on other parts of their work.

According to experts, the Nigerian entertainment industry is still in the early phases of embracing AI, but there is a rising awareness of the potential benefits of this technology; the industry’s future is dependent on its capacity to adapt to a changing landscape. If the industry can adopt artificial intelligence, it has the potential to become a global leader.

John Ekeh, Cinematographer and Video Editor at Ebonylife Creatives Academy said the advent of AI in Nigeria is low at the moment as a result of creatives using Al incorporated software designed by companies abroad.

“Most software used to create entertaining content are now Al integrated.” Writing is clearly one of the very first services to be featured in the Al space. People write scripts generated by Al software, photographers create images with Al, video editors edit videos and use Al in auto scene detection, auto audio mix, and many more applications.

“Al really needs to be in check for intellectual properties and also artists and producers must keep up with technical advances and look for ways to incorporate Al into their work,” said Ekeh.

A creative director and producer who wishes to remain anonymous said that he is actively adopting AI and researching how it develops.

“AI is becoming more prevalent in the industry, there is a need to experiment with these tools to see how they can be used to improve film production,” he said

He also stated that when employing AI, ethical factors like privacy and data protection, intellectual property, and copyright infringement must be taken into mind.