At the ESSENCE Festival of Culture, inside Hollywood House, a forward-looking panel titled A.I. in Action: The Next Era of Jobs in Film brought together filmmakers, tech innovators, and cultural leaders to explore how artificial intelligence is transforming Hollywood from the inside out.
Moderated with insight and urgency, the conversation featured Emmy-nominated director and futurist Noel Braham alongside creative executive and tech thought leader Shavone Charles. Together, they unpacked how AI is reshaping every facet of the industry—from screenwriting and casting to post-production and marketing—and why it’s crucial for Black creatives not just to adapt, but to lead in this rapidly evolving space.
Rather than framing AI as a threat, both panelists emphasized its power as a tool for expansion, accessibility, and enhanced creativity. “The goal is to supplement your creativity,” Braham shared, encouraging filmmakers to view AI not as a shortcut, but as a collaborator in the storytelling process.
Charles echoed the call for digital fluency and upskilling, especially within historically excluded communities. She stressed the importance of going beyond surface-level use and truly understanding the mechanics of the technology. “We have to be inside the brain of AI,” she said. “Not just consuming it—but understanding how it works, including the terms and conditions and how these platforms use our data.”
“If Black people put our phones down, these companies wouldn’t know what to do,” Charles added. “These companies market us back to us.”
Braham and Charles also pointed to several platforms outside of OpenAI and ChatGPT that Black creatives can use to build systems and automations—tools that can streamline their processes and help them go further, faster in their creative work.
The panel doubled as a deep dive and a rallying cry: the future of film won’t just be shaped by algorithms, but by the visionaries who know how to wield them. As new roles emerge and workflows shift, one thing is clear—Black creatives must be empowered to innovate, disrupt, and redefine what’s possible in an AI-powered Hollywood.