The client was panicking.
A sleek new tech product was about to launch—Nigerian-made, proudly so—but the final 30-second ad spot was nowhere near done.
It was 1:17 a.m., the creative team at the ad agency had hit a wall, and the client had just sent a not-so-subtle message: “Hope we’re still on track for tomorrow morning?”
Cue the unlikely hero: an AI-powered video generation tool recently adopted by the agency’s new Head of Innovation, a geeky intern turned full-time staffer with an obsession for machine learning.
With just a script, a rough voiceover, and a library of reference material, the AI tool churned out a draft video that didn’t just work—it dazzled.
- Dynamic transitions, scene changes, product shots with perfect lighting, and even a family scene that captured the emotional pull of the brand. No shooting. No post-production agony. Just… magic.
- It wasn’t perfect, of course. The grandmother’s eyes blinked twice as much as needed, and the Semo and Egusi soup had a suspiciously mash vibe. But after a few tweaks, the ad was done. And it was brilliant.
This, dear reader, is not science fiction. It is the present. And it is just the beginning.
The AI awakening
Around the world, Artificial Intelligence is shaking up everything—from banking to baking (yes, there’s an AI that designs cupcakes). In media and entertainment, it’s rewriting the rules entirely.
- Scripts can now be co-written by AI; actors’ voices and likenesses can be digitally recreated (a topic that caused major tension in the last Hollywood writer and actor strikes); entire scenes can be storyboarded, animated, and edited by machine.
- Globally, we’re witnessing the dawn of a new creative industrial revolution—one where the distinction between techie and artist is blurring.
This convergence is birthing new economies, reshaping old ones, and creating room for small players—yes, even from places like Surulere or Aba—to punch above their weight.
Read More From Nairametrics: AI and the future of media in Nigeria – Makemation at the intersection of science, tech, and creative storytelling
