African creatives have been advised to view Artificial Intelligence (AI) as a tool to enhance creativity and innovation rather than a threat to originality and human imagination.

Stakeholders in Africa’s creative ecosystem gave the advice at the second edition of the ongoing Forum CréationAfrica on Friday in Lagos.

The second edition, organised by the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs in partnership with MansA, focuses on creative and cultural industries across the African continent.

The session, with the theme “African Minds, Global Machines: What Does AI Really Mean for Creatives on the Continent?”, brought together digital artists and tech innovators to explore the ethical, cultural, and artistic implications of AI in Africa’s creative space.

Senegalese digital artist, Hussein Dembel, described AI as both an opportunity and a moral test for creatives, noting that it could transform 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 before,” he said.

Dembel said that AI tools were already improving filmmaking processes such as visual effects and green screen editing, making creative production more efficient.

He, however, cautioned that the rapid rise of AI also raised complex ethical questions about originality and copyright.

“We are heading to a world where films can be made 100 per cent by AI. It’s frightening because some of that technology already exists.

“However, will audiences pay to watch content without the human touch? We are so in tune with human emotion that resistance will definitely come,” Dembel said.

He added that protecting copyright in the AI era was becoming increasingly difficult as the line between human and machine-generated work continued to blur.

On his part, Hammed Arowosegbe, Founder of Swift XR, said the future of African creativity in the AI era would depend largely on education and responsible use.

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Arowosegbe emphasised that Africa must leverage AI to tell its own stories in its own voice.

“Education is crucial. We need to go from being consumers of technology to creators.

“The more context and precision you give AI, the more powerful your output becomes. Don’t outsource your mind to AI or delegate your autonomy.

“Always cross-check what AI gives you. It’s not the ultimate answer, it’s a middleman,” he added.

Arowosegbe predicted that society might initially over-rely on AI but would eventually rediscover the irreplaceable value of human creativity.

“The best works today are a fusion of AI and human creativity,” he said.

Arowosegbe also called for policy interventions to address ethical concerns around copyright, identity, and digital ownership.

According to him, governments must invest in homegrown AI models that reflect African languages, values, and cultural realities.

“The government should have a research programme where we build our own AI systems to ensure they understand our realities.

“Control must also happen in how our digital likeness is used, especially with the rise of deepfakes and identity theft,” he said.

Audience members at the session shared similar views, noting that mainstream AI systems often fail to recognise African cultural contexts and expressions.

They agreed that creativity continues to evolve and that responsible use of AI could strengthen rather than diminish African innovation.

(NAN)