AI is transforming creative industries, but few people agree on how to use it effectively. Is it a shortcut, a threat, or a tool that can extend human imagination? Two South African voices, Khumo Tsie, Creative Director at KN Studios, and Rachel van Rooyen, Animator and Lecturer at Wits University, argue that it is all about process.
The insights shared by Khumo and Rachel emerged from the French Institute of South Africa (IFAS)’s four-part programme, Artificial Intelligence: A New Frontier for the Audiovisual Sector, an industry event that took place from September to December last year. The programme brought together artists, educators and technologists across AVIJOZI, Fak’ugesi, Playtopia and Africa Games Week, creating space to examine how AI is being used in creative work, practically, ethically and in real-world contexts.
Khumo and Rachel participated in the AI training sessions at AVIJOZI alongside contributors including French AI expert Nicolas Erba, Head of Innovation at Digital District, and Dr Sechaba Maape, Senior Lecturer at Wits University and Founder of Afreetekture.
At AVIJOZI, Erba cut through the hype to focus on the practical realities of AI in high-end VFX and animation, from efficiencies to the very real limitations of current tools. Rather than presenting AI as a replacement for humans, he made the case for hybrid workflows in which technology enhances human skill and creative decision-making.
Beyond tools and techniques, Maape reframed AI through the lens of cultural intelligence. His work challenges stereotypical representations of Africa and encourages creators to build AI systems informed by lived experience, nuance and the everyday realities of African life.
Across these conversations, it became clear that AI demands more from its users, countering the common belief that machines replace creative thinking. For Khumo and Rachel, learning to work with AI starts long before a prompt is typed.
Here are their practical steps for getting the most out of AI in the creative design process:
- Start with the brief, not the prompt
“Everything begins with clarity,” says Khumo. Before opening a programme or typing a single prompt, he insists on a tailored client brief. Without this, AI becomes a generator of randomness rather than a collaborator. Rachel echoes this in her teaching: “You cannot outsource thinking. Students still need to learn why a composition works before they try to prompt an AI to do it.”
- Draw it first
The second step may sound old school: paper and pencil. “It is faster, cheaper, and forces your brain to catch up with your hand,” Khumo explains. Even rough sketches narrow the scope before expensive production begins. Rachel shares a similar ethos: “Your ideas matter. AI should enhance, not replace, the messy human work of figuring things out.”
- Use AI for pre-visualisation
Once ideas are sketched, Khumo introduces AI to rough out scenes. This is not final art, but what industry pioneers describe as rapid prototyping. AI outputs help identify blind spots and generate variations to test ideas before investing hours in production. Rachel adds: “Instead of accepting what the machine gives you, you need to co-create with it by learning to direct it, asking questions like, does this composition really work?”
- Refine the idea with human hands
Here is where many creatives go wrong: letting AI take over. Khumo is clear: “AI cannot do the heavy lifting. Refinement, nuance, cultural cues and the human feel must come from the artist.” Rachel frames it as an ethical issue: “Submitting fully AI-generated work to a client without disclosure undermines both the artist and the industry. The human touch is not optional. It gives your work integrity.”
- Let AI polish, not produce
The final stage is compositing and polish, subtle colour grading, background clean-ups or small adjustments. “That is where AI saves time,” Khumo says, “freeing us from repetitive tasks so we can focus on storytelling.”
But he cautions: “If you let AI finalise, you get mediocrity. The magic is still human.”
The ethics behind the workflow
Rachel’s research into animation and AI highlights broader challenges, including bias in training data, copyright grey areas and the risk of eroding artistic confidence. “South African creators need to be especially alert,” she notes, “because most AI systems are not trained on African references or datasets. Our task is to bring African-centred storytelling into these tools.”
Why it matters
Khumo adds: “Change is the only constant. AI is like the camera to the portrait painter. It will not replace the craft, but it changes the landscape. Artists who learn to co-create with it will stay ahead.”
For Rachel, it is about equipping the next generation: “As a lecturer, my students’ confidence and creativity must always come first. We set clear boundaries on AI’s use, empowering them to enter the industry as creators, not imitators.”
Looking ahead: Building long-term creative cooperation
Beyond this programme, IFAS supports long-term cultural, academic and creative cooperation across Southern Africa through training initiatives, partnerships and professional exchange. By working across disciplines and sectors, IFAS aims to strengthen creative ecosystems, support skills development and build dialogue between African and international practitioners. Within this wider mandate, AI is approached not as a standalone initiative, but as one of several tools shaping the future of creative practice in education.
Learn more about available opportunities and how to apply via the IFAS website.
Artificial Intelligence: A New Frontier for the Audiovisual Sector is supported by the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs and the Institut français, as part of a broader strategy to support international exchange and the export of Cultural and Creative Industries.
