Artificial Intelligence and the Ethics of Storytelling: Towards a Communitarian Model of Smart Filmmaking in Nollywood

The integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) into global cinema is reshaping how stories are created, distributed, and received. Nollywood, as one of the world’s largest film industries, faces unique ethical and cultural challenges in this transition. This study explores the intersection of AI and African storytelling through the lens of African Communitarian ethics and Technological Determinism. Using a qualitative interpretive approach, six contemporary Nollywood films (2018–2024) were analysed alongside relevant literature to assess how AI influences creative processes, production practices, and moral representation. The study finds that while AI enhances efficiency and aesthetic quality, it also risks detaching storytelling from communal ethics and cultural authenticity. A Communitarian Model of Smart Filmmaking is proposed, situating AI as a collaborative tool guided by moral responsibility, community values, and cultural preservation. This framework offers a pathway for integrating innovation without compromising the ethical and cultural soul of African cinema.