African creatives gear up for crucial conversation about the future of storytelling
Set to take place on August 8 at the Protea Hotel in Midrand, the AI in Film: Empowering African Filmmakers conference will gather some of the continent's most influential voices in tech and the arts to explore how AI is shaping the future of African cinema.
Speakers include actor and producer Tumisho Masha, AI consultant Johan Steyn and media personalities Penny Lebyane and Masechaba Mposwa, who will facilitate discussions with actors' unions, tech experts, broadcasters and industry stakeholders.
Under the theme 'AI's Role in African Storytelling's Future', the one-day conference will unpack how AI is changing the way stories are scripted, visualised and distributed while raising critical questions about ownership, authenticity and cultural preservation.
'This is a long overdue conversation for African creatives. Our industry shouldn't sit on the sidelines while global AI trends reshape the creative economy. We must lead with agency and ethical innovation that reflects our cultural voice,' said co-founder Mfundo Ntsibande.
The event, hosted by digital consultancy Sci-Thagorus, will feature live demos, panel talks and networking masterclasses. Key topics will cover AI's role in scriptwriting and production, ethical boundaries in human-AI collaboration and the thorny issue of copyright in AI-generated content.
Founder and CEO Lwazi Sithole said the conference aims to empower creatives with the tools and frameworks to integrate AI responsibly. 'It's about enabling innovation while safeguarding cultural integrity.'
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