Artificial Intelligence (AI) should be seen as a catalyst for innovation and creative growth rather than a threat to originality, stakeholders in Africa’s creative economy have said.
Speaking at the second edition of Forum Création Africa on Friday in Lagos, artists, tech founders, and digital innovators explored how AI can reshape the continent’s creative future.
The forum, organised by the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs in partnership with MansA, focused on how AI intersects with African art, culture, and ethics under the theme “African Minds, Global Machines: What Does AI Really Mean for Creatives on the Continent?”
Senegalese digital artist Hussein Dembel described AI as both an opportunity and a test of integrity, noting its power to turn imagination into reality faster than ever before. “If you can think it, you can make it. AI allows us to bring imagination to life faster than ever,” he said.
While highlighting AI’s growing use in filmmaking — from visual effects to editing — Dembel warned that its rapid rise raises ethical and copyright challenges. “Films can now be made entirely by AI, but audiences still crave the human touch,” he said.
Hammed Arowosegbe, Founder of Swift XR, said the continent’s creative future depends on education and responsible technology use. “Africa must go from being consumers of technology to creators. The more context you give AI, the stronger your results. Don’t outsource your mind,” he said.
He urged governments to invest in homegrown AI models that reflect African languages, values, and culture while regulating the use of digital likenesses to prevent misuse such as deepfakes and identity theft.
“The government should fund research programmes that help us build our own AI systems to ensure they understand our realities,” he added.
Participants at the session agreed that AI, when responsibly applied, can elevate African creativity rather than diminish it — empowering artists to tell authentic stories that resonate globally.
