Javed Akhtar says some concerns against AI are exaggerated: ‘You can’t wish it away’
Updated on: Nov 11, 2025 02:09 pm IST
Javed Akhtar has opened up about the inevitability of AI in the creative space, calling some concerns ‘exaggerated’.
Artificial intelligence is a reality that cannot be wished away, believes Javed Akhtar. Even as many creative people have lobbied against the use of AI in cinema, Javed Akhtar, a veteran of Hindi cinema, says one cannot ignore some of its contributions.
Javed Akhtar on AI in filmmaking
At the Soundscapes of India- Season 2, the veteran screenwriter and lyricist was asked about the 2025 edition of the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) dedicating a section for AI content.
He responded, “If you see the progress of science, every invention, including automobiles and railway engines, has been resisted by the people. They think such advancements are going to badly affect society. But science is not immoral. Whether (you think) it is right or wrong, science is going to move forward. Even in foreign countries, artificial intelligence is making unbelievable achievements, and it’s a reality now.”
‘You cannot wish it away’
The writer said it is time to see how to utilise AI to our advantage rather than resisting it. “What we have to think about now is how to use it in our favour. How can we control this power that’s being generated is supposed to be for our ease? But you cannot wish it away,” he added.
In the West, screenwriters in Hollywood went on a strike against the use of AI and machine learning models (MLMs). Javed Akhtar agreed that their concerns were genuine, but only to an extent. “The fact is that today AI depends on existing data. Who gives that data? You are giving them the data. The data is always going to be shared and used. You have to decide what share of it you want. It is never going to stop,” he added.
