Nigerian filmmaker Akay Mason has dismissed the possibility of artificial intelligence (AI) replacing human actors in filmmaking, arguing that AI-generated performances lack the emotional depth and human connection that audiences experience when watching real people on screen.
Mason made the assertion in a post shared on X on Friday, where he weighed in on the growing use of artificial intelligence in film production.
While acknowledging the technology’s usefulness in handling some technical aspects of filmmaking, he maintained that replacing actors entirely with AI-generated characters would strip films of an essential human quality.
Mason also linked the enduring appeal of human performers to celebrity culture and the relationship audiences develop with popular actors. He argued that viewers often become invested not only in fictional characters but also in the personalities portraying them, creating a connection that computer-generated characters may struggle to reproduce.
Despite his reservations about AI-generated actors, Mason did not reject the use of artificial intelligence in the film industry. Instead, he acknowledged that the technology could serve as a useful production tool when applied to specific technical challenges.
He cited visual effects, lighting and sound correction as areas where filmmakers could deploy artificial intelligence to improve their productions.
Mason also disclosed that he had used ChatGPT to correct grammatical issues in the social media post in which he expressed his views, illustrating his distinction between using AI as an assisting tool and allowing it to replace human creative performance.
