Terra Academy for the Arts (TAFTA), a creative training institution, has said Artificial Intelligence (AI) and human connection must coexist in the creative industry.
TAFTA Programmes Manager Chinedu Isagbah said this in an interview with reporters in Lagos on Thursday.
TAFTA is the creative training arm of Terra Kulture, providing programmes aimed at developing skills and opportunities for young people in Nigeria’s creative industry.
Speaking on the impact of AI, Isagbah highlighted opportunities for young creatives and challenges facing Nigeria’s creative economy.
He said the rapid expansion of AI made it essential for creatives to adopt the technology.
He added that creatives must also ensure AI did not diminish the human relationships at the heart of artistic expression.
Isagbah said TAFTA had introduced courses on the ethical use of AI in production to help creatives understand how to incorporate the technology into filmmaking, theatre and other creative activities.
“We understand that AI is a present reality, and we are now teaching creatives how to infuse it ethically.
“At the same time, we must preserve the human interaction that defines our work. That connection cannot be lost,” he said.
According to him, the continued popularity of live theatre shows that technology has not reduced people’s desire to connect and share experiences in person.
He explained that, although audiences could now stream films and performances from home, many still preferred theatres because of the immediacy and intimacy of live performance.
“Why come to Terra Kulture to see a play being performed when you could watch a movie at home? People want human connections.
“They want to hear people, see people and interact with the cast as they do their thing on the stage,” he said.
Isagbah said the rise of AI might deepen appreciation for authentic human interaction as more aspects of entertainment become automated or digitally generated.
“The more AI advances, the more human connections will be necessary. People will want to connect with actual human beings, and that is what we are serving,” he said.
He said TAFTA was therefore encouraging creatives to use AI as a supportive tool that enhanced output, while safeguarding the emotional and human depth of creative work.
Isagbah said this approach was especially relevant for young filmmakers and content creators, as technology continued to open new pathways for storytelling and income generation.
“The future is about everybody being able to create, tell their story and not just tell their story, but also make money out of it and make a living from it,” he said.
He, however, urged young creatives to use their platforms ethically and responsibly, stressing that creative voices could be used to influence society positively.
“One of the things I encourage them to do is to do this ethically and also use that voice as a power to transform society,” he said.
On women in the creative sector, Isagbah said many women possessed the talent and narratives needed to excel, but were often limited by restricted access to funding and opportunities.
The programmes manager said stronger support structures were needed to help women refine their ideas, build sustainable careers and take fuller advantage of the creative economy.
Isagbah said TAFTA would explore strategies to improve support for women at a creative policy roundtable scheduled for October.
He said the discussions would also focus on safeguarding, exploitation and harassment, which he described as pressing issues that required sustained attention in the industry.
Speaking on challenges in the creative industry, Isagbah identified funding constraints and weak collaboration as key obstacles slowing sectoral growth.
He said many creatives had strong ideas and compelling stories, but lacked the financial backing required to develop and distribute their work effectively.
According to him, greater collaboration is needed because many individuals and organisations still operate independently instead of combining resources and expertise.
“People are building in silos instead of coming together to build. When one collaborates, the economies of scale automatically enlarge,” he said.
Isagbah said collaboration would enable creatives to expand their reach, share resources and build stronger platforms capable of supporting more practitioners.
He said Nigerian filmmakers and other industry leaders should jointly develop a large-scale content platform to showcase local stories globally.
“Imagine that we come up and have our own Netflix, where a group of top creators and filmmakers come together and build something through which people can access stories,” he said.
The programmes manager said such collective efforts would reduce fragmentation and strengthen the overall creative ecosystem.
“Collaboration is important. When we do not build in silos, we can build a much larger, much more robust base for creators to thrive,” he said.
On the role of government, Isagbah said authorities must continue to create an enabling environment for the creative economy to flourish.
He commended the Minister of Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa, for ongoing efforts to engage stakeholders and support sectoral development.
He said TAFTA would participate in discussions with the minister and other stakeholders at the October creative policy roundtable aimed at strengthening the industry.
Isagbah also welcomed the establishment of a creative fund, saying such initiatives could help bridge critical financing gaps for practitioners.
“I can see the moves and that is already setting the tempo for how creatives will flourish and thrive in Nigeria,” he said.
Isagbah said the future of Nigeria’s creative industry would depend on how effectively stakeholders balance technology, human ingenuity, funding and collaboration.
He urged creatives to embrace emerging technologies such as AI, while protecting the human connection, cultural depth and originality that define their work.
