Frankly, infiltration of artificial intelligence (AI) has become inevitable in almost any field of life now. Certainly, the film industry is also attempting to reach new heights to get AI's help in making efficient and smooth content with maximum cost-cutting.
One of the biggest streaming platforms in the world, Netflix, recently acquired Ben Affleck's AI-powered startup, InterPositive, which aims to provide a unique set of tools that "keeps filmmakers at the center of the process," as per Variety. It is not a human-replacement system that apparently will have no use of human skills to make things better. Rather, Affleck explained that it is there to redefine the postproduction process, for example, by realigning color mixes, visual effects, editing shots, and so forth.
In contrast to Hollywood, different Asian regions have responded to the utilization of AI in the film industry differently. The Japan Times reported that studios in India, the world's most prolific film industry, are deploying AI at an unfathomable rate in film dubbing, recutting endings of older versions, and even sometimes making the entire film with AI. This has led to an overall remodeling of the industry by shortening production timelines despite coming face-to-face with one problem: the audience's backlash against AI-generated content.
Pakistan seems to be following the same footsteps, but with some changes. The Next Salahuddin is the first fully AI-generated feature film released nationwide on January 30, 2026. Written and directed by Farhan Siddiqui, the film is not only meant to be a cinematic experiment but also a "bold step into the future of filmmaking," per The Express Tribune.
The film is a joint creative effort between Pakistan and Malaysia and is without any real human actors or physical locations. The director was positive that the audience would not feel that they were watching an AI film. And the reception of the limited release showed the same reactions, calling the film a good attempt at creating the facial features strikingly real.
The young creators were awestruck by the painstaking attention to detail as the 55-minute film's story aligns with cultural heritage whose character work embodies the wholesome use of exquisite AI storytelling. The early reactions were strong, with word-of-mouth and support for a promising future for the Pakistani film industry.
In a country that is shackled by a lack of funding, resources, and infrastructure, could AI be a solution to producing a good Pakistani film? Good storylines exist, as evident from a higher viewing rate for the dramas as compared to the films, but the constant struggles of local cinemas prove to be a constraint to the region's boom in the entertainment industry.
Limited financial viability drives up ticket prices, making cinema unaffordable for many. This expense transfers to the general public who want to watch the film in a theatre but remain deprived. As a result, audiences turn to free YouTube dramas, which often become more popular than films.
Can AI realistically address these challenges in Pakistan, given that audiences are hesitant to embrace AI-generated content? The Next Salahuddin is the first Pakistani AI film, and there are a few examples of similar films that could have shaped the audience's perception of such content. The director himself is confident that the method is a cost-effective and safer alternative to traditional production methods.
In the film's trailer, some may feel that the facial features and visuals are impressive. It may seem like an attractive option to have a film completed within a single room, but it all comes down to whether more films like this would sell in the future.
A limited release of a singular film in this genre cannot define the entire film industry. We need more experiments before reaching a certain conclusion. We need more audience members to post their thoughts about the quality of the content. We even need those viewers who are used to watching YouTube series to visit theaters and experience the change, and comment on whether it is actually "revolutionary."
Since the film is made by keeping in mind today's youth, who love fast-paced content, the film is designed to keep them engaged. Surely, AI can produce such content, as it is already used on social media platforms, such as TikTok. It still trickles down to factors like quality and engagement.
Hollywood superstars like Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Cruise, and Ryan Gosling all advocate for producing films that would keep the theaters alive. When the audience wouldn't approve of AI content using artificial faces despite consuming the same on social media platforms, how will AI be able to save cinemas?
There is a difference between using it to assist in polishing the film content and completely replacing the actors and physical locations. AI should not be wholly and solely used to replace human actors, but could be used to curtail the costs of the production side in Pakistan. Seeing an entirely AI-made film being lauded by many is a good start, but AI could be deemed a helping tool rather than a replacement.
AI-generated faces don't truly look human; they feel more like machines wearing a mask of skin. The expressions may imitate anger, despair, happiness, or sadness, but they lack any real emotion behind them. It might lead to deepening the trend that could cause inequality, where a handful of actors would remain in demand.
To overcome the challenges of resources in Pakistan, AI-driven tools can significantly reduce production costs. Research studies have indicated that scriptwriting, editing, and even creating digital twins of the existing actors have proven to be viable solutions to cost-cutting in Pakistani filmmaking. However, it also depends on people who can handle AI.
Training of AI specialists for auto-cutting scenes based on emotional cues, for example, is in high demand. The Pakistani film industry would have to invest in AI literacy of such employees so that AI adoption does not instill a fear of job displacement, as observed in Hollywood, where the use of AI has been constrained due to this concern.
Experiments with AI can continue, but not at the expense of audience perception, because in the end, it is all for them. Viewers are highly sensitive to authenticity, and overreliance on artificial elements, such as poorly rendered expressions or unnatural performances, can create a sense of detachment. Therefore, filmmakers must strike a careful balance between innovation and storytelling integrity.
Developing storyboards, detecting continuity errors, enhancing footage colors, and analyzing successful storytelling patterns are some of the ways AI can serve as a tool for supporting human creativity rather than replacing it. Pakistan's film industry can thrive with genuine artistic vision if the combination of technological efficiency is both economically sustainable and emotionally resonant.
Echoes is an opinion column on film and television from the perspective of a writer based in Pakistan.