“AI Films Will Fail”: Filmmaker Explains Why Human Actors Can Never Be Replaced
- Nigerian filmmaker Akay Mason sparked debate after sharing his thoughts on AI-generated films on X
- Mason argued that AI films lacked the emotional depth audiences naturally feel when watching real human actors perform
- The filmmaker acknowledged AI has a place in production but drew a firm line at replacing human performance
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Nigerian filmmaker Akay Mason has taken a firm stance on the growing conversation around artificial intelligence in cinema, insisting that AI-generated films are destined to fall short of what human actors bring to the screen.
Mason shared his views in a post on X on Friday, September 11, 2026, where he argued that every AI short film he had watched felt hollow, missing the emotional resonance audiences naturally respond to when real people are performing.
"AI films will fail. Every AI short film I've seen lacks the emotional connection we instinctively feel when watching actual humans perform. It just feels empty," he wrote.
Source: Instagram
Why Human Stars Still Matter
Beyond the question of performance quality, Mason pointed to something deeper, the way audiences relate to the people on screen. He argued that celebrity culture and the human tendency to idolise stars are central to why films connect with viewers in the first place.
"Another reason is our tendency toward idolatry and celebrity culture. We love to worship our stars. With AI films, there are no stars to worship. You know the character on screen is nothing but a series of codes," he said.
It is a perspective that touches on something the film industry has wrestled with since AI tools began advancing rapidly: can technology manufacture the kind of parasocial bond that audiences form with actors over years, even decades?
AI as a Tool, Not a Replacement
Mason was careful not to dismiss AI entirely. He acknowledged that filmmakers, including himself, already use the technology for technical support during production, whether that means cleaning up visual effects, correcting lighting, or polishing audio.
"Sure, filmmakers now use AI as a tool to fix VFX, lighting, or sound issues, and that's perfectly okay (heck, I even used ChatGPT to fix a few grammatical issues with this post)," he noted.
But in his view, there is a clear boundary between using AI to support the filmmaking process and expecting it to replicate what a performer brings to a role.
"But if we're being real, AI actors cannot replace a real actor's performance, which is, at its core, the expression of the human soul," he said.
Mason's comments arrive at a time when the global film industry is actively debating how far AI should go in creative production, with actors' unions in several countries having already raised concerns about the technology's potential to displace human talent.
Source: Instagram
In related news, a report showed that Nigerians use AI more than any country globally.
Akay Mason's take on why AI can't replace actor is below:
What Davido said about AI
Meanwhile, Legit.ng reported that Afrobeats star Davido sparked a lively debate online after declaring his strong dislike for artificial intelligence in music, only to admit in the same breath that he regularly uses ChatGPT.
He made the comments during an appearance on News Central's programme on Tuesday, August 18, 2026. Speaking in a conversational tone, the singer was responding to questions around Afrobeats' global recognition when the topic of AI came up.
Source: Legit.ng
