Idris Elba opens AI film course with $1 million from Google

Elba's initiative sits alongside a growing interest in using AI for media and entertainment in Africa, both to expand creative possibilities and to overcome cost disadvantages where funding constraints can frustrate projects. The British actor, whose parents hailed from Ghana and Sierra Leone, is behind a number of programs aimed at developing creative industries across the continent.

Infrastructure remains a practical hurdle. Poor broadband and electricity access still pose a challenge for African creators who want to use AI in filmmaking. An AI-generated Yoruba-language film released this month failed to live up to expectations after its host's servers were overwhelmed during a premiere, a reminder that technical capacity can undercut ambition.