Renowned writer and lyricist Javed Akhtar recently declared that Artificial Intelligence (AI) is making “unbelievable achievements” and is an unstoppable reality that society must embrace rather than fear. Akhtar made these remarks during the ‘Soundscapes of India- Season 2‘ event, responding to a question about the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) dedicating a section to AI-generated content.
Akhtar drew historical parallels, noting that technological progress often faces initial resistance from the public, which fears the advancement will negatively affect society.
“If you see the progress of science, every invention, including automobiles and railway engines, has been resisted by the people. They think such advancements are going to badly affect the society, but science is not immoral… Whether (you think) it is right or it is wrong, science is going to move forward. Even in foreign countries, artificial intelligence is making unbelievable achievements and it’s a reality now,” Akhtar stated.
He urged that the focus should now be on how to leverage this power and control it for humanity’s benefit, emphasizing that “you cannot wish it away.”
While acknowledging AI’s inevitability, Akhtar maintained the position he first expressed in September at the NDTV Yuva 2025 Conclave: AI cannot, at least for now, replicate the human mind in art and creativity.
Akhtar explained that genuine creativity stems from deeply human, often painful, experiences that machines cannot possess.
“The problem with AI is that it hasn’t had a traumatic childhood. AI’s mother didn’t die when it was young. AI’s girlfriend didn’t leave it for another boy. AI has no subconscious, no deeply hurt memories or failed affairs. Creativity doesn’t run only on logic, it also comes from pain, heartbreak, and experiences that no machine has,” he said.
With his signature wit, Akhtar concluded, “I must say that if there is a choice between AI and natural stupidity, then I would choose AI. But having said that, AI is still crawling, it is in its humble beginnings. We cannot imagine what will happen after five or ten years, but at the moment, AI is no threat to creativity.”
Key Highlights:
- AI is an Unstoppable Reality: Writer-lyricist Javed Akhtar stated at ‘Soundscapes of India- Season 2’ that AI’s advancements are an inevitable reality that cannot be resisted, comparing it to historical resistance against technologies like the railway engine.
- Creativity Requires Human Pain: Akhtar reiterated his view that AI cannot match human creativity because it lacks essential human experiences like “traumatic childhood,” “heartbreak,” and a “subconscious” mind driven by emotion and failure.
- Current AI Limitations: While acknowledging AI’s potential, Akhtar believes that in its current state, AI is still in its “humble beginnings” and poses “no threat to creativity,” though he would choose AI over “natural stupidity.”
- Focus on Utilization: The focus now, according to Akhtar, must shift from fearing AI to understanding how to use it in our favor and how to control the power it generates for societal ease.