The arrival of artificial intelligence in cinema has not just opened new creative frontiers, but it has also unsettled the foundations of how stories are conceived, shaped, and shared.

From generating hyper-realistic sequences that once demanded months of location scouting, elaborate sets, and sprawling crews, to assisting in script revisions within hours, AI is rapidly altering the grammar of filmmaking.

In one recent experiment, filmmaker Shakun Batra worked with a team of collaborators to explore how AI could function in this area. The project, structured as a series of short visual pieces across genres—from action and drama to sci-fi and comedy—was designed to test whether advanced tools like video-generation and AI-assisted editing could help filmmakers imagine scenes that were previously limited by budget or logistics.

Batra, known for his intimate yet layered narratives through his previous work, such as Gehraiyaan, which Deepika Padukone and Siddhant Chaturvedi helmed, recently created a whole car chase sequence entirely through AI.

“We were able to explore scale, energy, and movement in a way that would have required months of planning and a massive crew otherwise,” he says. “But what stayed with me wasn’t just the visual achievement—it was the shift in process. We were working more like composers or designers—quickly iterating ideas, testing pace and mood in near real-time.”

The first experiment in the series, a high-octane chase titled The Getaway Car, gave him the chance to try something he had never attempted before. “For many independent artists, it can be challenging to produce such ambitious, dynamic concepts due to logistical and budget constraints,” he notes. “This is where technology can step in to open new avenues for visualising and iterating complex ideas.

Rough edges and all, it was one of the most freeing creative experiences I’ve had. It’s not perfect, but it’s a glimpse of what’s possible when curiosity leads the way,” Batra tells THE WEEK in an interview.

Script writer and conceptualiser, Shruti Srivastava, agrees. “It’s a complete burst of ideas and concepts that AI leads to, which makes it so exciting to work with. As filmmakers, I think we are just about starting on exploring the many possibilities that we will see in the time to come,” she says.

For Batra, the promise of AI lies not only in efficiency but in its potential to democratise the medium. “As the tools become more accessible, I feel like those of us with experience need to step into more of a guiding role,” he notes. “Access is step one. But making something meaningful still takes intent, and perhaps part of our responsibility is helping others develop that sense of intent in this new landscape.”

Filmmakers of today view AI less as a threat to artistic integrity and more as a way to rethink the creative process. If used right, AI doesn’t reduce creativity; it liberates it. While the tools generate visuals, it’s the filmmaker’s choices that give them meaning. “In a world of endless generation, the artist’s role in curating what matters becomes even more important. Even a student in a small town, with a story and a vision, can now produce sequences that used to require studio-scale resources,” adds Srivastava.

AI’s presence in the industry has also forced conversations around authorship, ethics, and credit. If a director uses an AI tool trained on thousands of hours of another artist’s work, who owns the final image? Batra doesn’t pretend to have definitive answers. “These are big questions—who gets credit, who gets paid, what does authorship even mean now? If someone’s voice or visual style helped train a model, shouldn’t they be acknowledged? We need frameworks that are transparent and fair.”

Looking ahead, industry experts believe that the most urgent debate is not technical but philosophical. “Just because we can make things faster or bigger doesn’t mean we should stop asking: what are we really trying to say? And who gets to say it?” says Nachiket Nanda, who’s learning filmmaking with AI in a mass communication college in Mumbai. 

Interestingly, AI can analyse audience preferences, simulate locations, or even generate first drafts of scripts. The challenge then for the industry will not just be mastering the technology but mastering how to live with it. Or, as Batra puts it, “We need to make sure we’re not just making more movies, but making movies that still matter.”

Podcasts

Digging Deeper | Giving the gift of life

On the latest episode of Digging Deeper, Shepparton News journalist Bree Harding speaks to Dean Gladigau about his wife, Karen, who donated her organs after she died of motor neurone disease last year.

By Bree Harding

The world is on the brink of a seismic shift in how we define work, wealth, and well-being. Artificial intelligence is accelerating automation at a pace that outstrips even the most optimistic projections, displacing jobs in sectors from customer service to manufacturing. Yet, amid this disruption, a new economic paradigm is emerging: universal basic income (UBI) and AI ethics frameworks. For investors, this isn’t just a societal debate—it’s a goldmine of opportunity. The companies and organizations leading this transition are not only shaping the future but also building the infrastructure to sustain it. Let’s break it down.

The UBI Revolution: Who’s Funding the Future?

Universal basic income is no longer a fringe idea. It’s a tested, scalable solution to the existential threat of job displacement. OpenResearch, a nonprofit backed by Sam Altman (OpenAI’s CEO), has been at the forefront of UBI experimentation. Since 2020, its pilot program has provided $1,000 monthly payments to 1,000 low-income individuals in Illinois and Texas. The results? Recipients use the cash to stabilize their lives, invest in education, and even start businesses. Crucially, the program hasn’t discouraged work—it’s empowered people to pursue opportunities they previously couldn’t afford.

Altman’s bet on UBI isn’t just altruistic—it’s strategic. As AI reshapes the economy, OpenAI is positioning itself as a thought leader in the ethical deployment of technology. For investors, this means OpenAI (and its parent company, Microsoft) isn’t just a tech play—it’s a gateway to the UBI ecosystem. Microsoft’s recent investments in AI ethics tools and its partnership with UNESCO’s Women4Ethical AI initiative further cement its role in this space.

AI Ethics: The New Compliance Gold Standard

The rise of AI isn’t just about efficiency—it’s about accountability. The EU AI Act, now in effect, mandates strict transparency, bias detection, and human oversight for high-risk systems. Companies that ignore these rules will face penalties; those that lead the charge will dominate.

Take Tesla, for example. Elon Musk, a vocal UBI advocate, has long warned about the need for a safety net in an AI-driven world. Tesla’s recent pivot to AI-powered manufacturing and its investments in humanoid robots (Optimus) position it as a key player in the automation economy. But Musk’s vision isn’t just about robots—it’s about redefining labor. Investors should watch Tesla’s stock closely as it navigates the intersection of AI ethics and UBI advocacy.

Meanwhile, United Way Bay Area and Sacramento’s Creative Growth Fellowship are proving that UBI isn’t just for survival—it’s a catalyst for creativity and entrepreneurship. These programs, funded by a mix of philanthropy and corporate partnerships, highlight the growing role of private capital in social equity. For investors, this means opportunities in impact-driven tech and infrastructure.

The Ethical Edge: Why This Matters for Your Portfolio

The companies leading the UBI and AI ethics charge are not just avoiding regulatory pitfalls—they’re creating new markets. Consider the $2 trillion U.S. Sovereign Wealth Fund, a government-corporate hybrid designed to fund infrastructure, AI, and potentially UBI. This fund, modeled after Norway’s success, could become a long-term revenue stream for guaranteed income programs. Investors who align with this vision—through sovereign wealth fund-related stocks or AI-focused ETFs—stand to benefit as the UBI model scales.

But don’t ignore the human angle. The Women4Ethical AI platform, backed by UNESCO, is addressing gender bias in AI development. Companies that prioritize diversity in their AI teams (like Microsoft and IBM) are not only doing the right thing—they’re future-proofing their products.

Risks and Realities: Is UBI a Panacea?

Critics argue UBI alone can’t solve systemic inequality. A 2023 OpenResearch study found that while UBI covers basic needs, it doesn’t significantly boost employment quality or health outcomes. But this misses the point: UBI is a tool, not a silver bullet. It’s part of a broader strategy that includes retraining, healthcare access, and ethical AI governance.

For investors, the key is to diversify. Don’t bet everything on a single UBI pilot. Instead, look at the ecosystem: tech companies (Microsoft, Tesla), nonprofit innovators (OpenResearch), and policy-driven funds (U.S. Sovereign Wealth Fund).

The Bottom Line: Positioning for the AI Era

The future of work is here, and it’s being rewritten by AI. The winners in this new era will be those who embrace UBI and ethics as both moral imperatives and business strategies. For investors, this means doubling down on companies that are not just automating jobs but redefining them.

Action Steps:
1. Buy into the AI ethics leaders: Microsoft, Tesla, and IBM are building the frameworks that will govern the next decade of tech.
2. Support UBI pioneers: Consider impact funds or ETFs that include OpenResearch-backed initiatives or sovereign wealth fund-linked stocks.
3. Diversify with policy plays: The U.S. Sovereign Wealth Fund and state-level UBI programs are creating new asset classes.

The market is always ahead of the curve, and right now, it’s betting big on a future where AI and UBI coexist. Don’t be left behind—position your portfolio for the next industrial revolution.