The founder of Kent’s first AI film festival says we need to “embrace” the new technology, despite fears that people will lose their jobs.

Stan Ohikhuare sat down with KentOnline before the event, which is set to take place this weekend in Sittingbourne.

It comes following the controversy surrounding “AI actor” Tilly Norwood, which was created by Xicoia, an AI talent studio that manages digital stars.

She appears in a short film that was shown at the Zurich Film Festival in September.

After it was shown, the actors’ union SAG-AFTRA released a damning statement, claiming her creators were “using stolen performances” from professionals "without permission or compensation".

Mr Ohikhuare has been a part of the industry for the past 25 years.

He first started as a fine artist and then went on to work in graphic design, 3D animation and as a filmmaker.

The 47-year-old believes people's reaction to artificial intelligence in film is similar to when motion capture and CGI were initially used.

He remembers everyone being hesitant at first, but it gradually became widely accepted.

Mr Ohikhuare said: “Just a few years ago, we saw the AI video of Will Smith eating spaghetti. It looked ridiculous.

“People thought, 'there is no way this is going to work’. They believed it was going to take 20 years for it to become something that was usable.

“I've now made four AI movies and I'm set to release a feature-length AI film in December."

He added: “I once posted the trailer of one of my AI movies in a film group.

“The filmmakers were really upset and told me, ‘we don't like AI, it is going to take our jobs away and replace us’.

“What we could do is make AI a tool in our hands – we become the puppeteers and it becomes a puppet – rather than being scared of it.

“AI is here to stay, it's not going anywhere."

Generative AI allows computers to create original content and solve problems in a human-like way by learning from vast amounts of data.

Many have concerns that it could replace jobs, as it can be used for script development, animation, and to create locations and actors.

In Hollywood, award-winning movies such as Emilia Perez (2024) and The Brutalist (2024) have both used AI to alter voices.

In Martin Scorsese’s crime drama The Irishman (2019), Robert De Niro was de-aged using an AI-based engine.

“AI is going to cost a lot of people their jobs," Mr Ohikhuare said. "That's true. It's not something we can hide.”

But he feels it is something artists should look to work with rather than ignore, and as a result has launched the Black AI Fest – International AI Film Academy Festival and Awards.

Coinciding with Black History Month, the festival aims to celebrate the potential of artificial intelligence, creativity and representation.

The awards are open to global submissions and cover 20 categories.

These include work made entirely with AI, including Best AI-Short Film and Best AI-Feature Film, to productions incorporating the extensive use of AI, such as Best AI-Enabled Feature Documentary.

They must incorporate advanced techniques, including text-to-video synthesis, speech recognition and AI video editing.

Other categories include Best AI Influencer, Best AI Comic Book, Best AI Screenplay and the Best Junior AI-Creative award for children aged five to 17.

Mr Ohikhuare said: “I'd rather people were prepared for the future of filmmaking.

“The visual effects in that movie I just made could have taken at least 200 people, working nine hours every day for a month to achieve it. I did it in 24 hours.

“That's how well AI can cut down the workflow. It's scary, but it's here to stay, so it's right that we embrace it and make use of it instead of being scared.”

He added: “When computers came out, there were people who were adamant about using the traditional typewriters. Two years later, they didn't have a job.”

The festival is being held this weekend (October 11-12) at The Avenue Theatre and Loveworld SK Auditorium in Sittingbourne.

Film screenings are to take place across the two days, as well as interactive sessions and training.