AI to replace actors, too? At India AI Impact Summit, actor Rana Daggubati says 'quite quickly’

Artificial intelligence is subtly transforming the language of cinema, and for filmmakers aiming for scale and spectacle, the future is already unfolding even before the first shot is filmed. Actor Rana Daggubati on Monday noted that AI now enables creators of high-impact films to virtually preview their movies before a single frame is captured, highlighting how the technology is fundamentally changing storytelling from the outset, PTI reported.

During the India AI Impact Summit, Rana Daggubati said that artificial intelligence might “replace all of us quite quickly” when responding to a question about its impact on cinema, ANI reported.

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Here's what Rana Daggubati said

"In the visual effects world, earlier, getting a shot done used to take 3-5 days. But now that has come down to just 2-3 hours...Besides, a filmmaker can now watch his movie even before shooting really begins," he said, as reported by PTI.

However, he highlighted certain qualities and skills that will not be replaced.

"Storytelling, understanding of cultural context, and social literacy are such skills," he said, adding that “the construct of repeatability is gone now, and a key differentiating factor would be between those creating IP (on AI tools) and those just using it”.

The actor, known for films such as Baahubali, Kalki 2898 AD, and The Ghazi Attack, added, “Ownership will change dramatically. Previously, only major studios could create large-scale intellectual property and cinematic universes. Today, that power is shifting to independent directors.”

"We might be in the phase of extreme change... but will everything go AI from here? Not really. But there are pieces of the puzzle being taken away," Daggubati added.

Ashish Kulkarni, founder of Punnaryug Artvision, said foundational skills with reference to creative content will still have to be taught to students.

During the session, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between Adobe and NASSCOM for the Future Skills Prime initiative. The session was moderated by Mala Sharma, Global VP & GM at Adobe, and attended by Abhilasha Gaur, CEO of IT-ITeS SSC NASSCOM; Saransh Agrawal, VP of Learning & Development at Cognizant; and Raj Rishi Singh, CBO & CMO of MakeMyTrip.

The AI Impact Expo 2026, taking place in New Delhi from February 16–20, is expected to draw over 2.5 lakh visitors, including international delegates. The event seeks to promote new collaborations and generate business opportunities within the global AI ecosystem.

AI Summit 2026

The summit is being billed as the first major global AI conference hosted in the Global South, drawing leaders from 20 countries. Among those attending are Emmanuel Macron, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Anura Kumara Dissanayake, and Antonio Guterres.

Held alongside the Summit at Bharat Mandapam, the Expo acts as a nationwide showcase of artificial intelligence in practice — where policy connects with implementation, innovation scales up, and technology reaches everyday citizens.

Spanning 10 arenas across more than 70,000 square metres, the Expo brings together global tech companies, start-ups, academic institutions, research bodies, Union Ministries, State Governments, and international collaborators.

The event includes 13 country pavilions highlighting international partnerships with nations such as Australia, Japan, Russia, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Serbia, Estonia, Tajikistan, and various African nations.

Designed to accommodate an estimated 2.5 lakh visitors, the Expo features more than 300 curated exhibition pavilions and live demonstrations, organised around three central themes — People, Planet, and Progress.

It also spotlights over 600 promising start-ups, many of which are developing globally scalable, real-world AI solutions already in deployment.

The event’s vast scale is further reflected in more than 500 sessions featuring upwards of 3,250 distinguished speakers and panellists.

Running through 20 February, the Impact Summit and Expo underline New Delhi’s ambition to help shape an AI future that is inclusive, responsible, and transformative, aligned with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's broader vision of sovereign AI designed to serve citizens worldwide.

(With inputs from agencies)