AI-generated videos like those created with Google's Veo 3 are reshaping filmmaking, sparking debate about the future of actors, crews, and real-world production. While Moroccan creators are experimenting with the tech, many believe iconic locations like Ouarzazate will remain vital for authenticity and storytelling. Imagine a world where your favorite actor isn't real, your favorite movie never had a shooting location, and the banker on that billboard ad you drive by every morning never sat for a bank interview, or even an audition. They're all AI-generated, prompted, yet eerily realistic. What once felt like a distant sci-fi future might be just around the corner, thanks to the rapid advancement of AI video generation. On May 20, a major leap was made : tech giant Google announced the release of Google Veo 3, its latest AI video generation model capable of producing 8-second clips. Once unveiled, Veo 3 took the internet by storm. It introduced synchronized audio, including dialogue, sound effects, and ambient noise, alongside high-quality visuals that surpassed anything previously seen in AI-generated media. AI-generated videos speaking Darija Within hours of its release, shockingly realistic videos created with Veo 3 circulated online. And Morocco was no exception, rather, it was proof that the tool could adapt to different dialects. Videos shared by Moroccan users showed AI-generated people speaking Darija, dressed in traditional clothing, and placed in settings that looked distinctly Moroccan. The realism of these AI-generated videos sparked confusion, with many social media users having to double-check in the comments if what they were seeing was indeed fake. But what happens if those eight seconds are extended into short films, or even full-length features? What does that mean for both the global and local film and entertainment industry? Since the release of Veo 3, Casablanca-based photographer and advertisement director Youness Hamiddine has been experimenting. On his social media accounts, he posted AI-generated clips of street interviews in Moroccan settings, fictional men and women in djellabas speaking Darija, and even a street performer singing about Casablanca's beloved Wydad football club. This isn't Hamiddine's first AI venture. Eight months ago, he directed the first entirely AI-generated music video in Morocco for rapper Young Loun, called Bakhira, which depicted irregular migration attempts. «As a movie director and producer, I feel AI gives me more creative freedom and choice», he told Yabiladi enthusiastically in an interview. «It helps me understand what I can do within my budget. In our field, costs can skyrocket due to logistics, such as renting gear, hiring actors, and obtaining filming permits», he mentioned. Learning, prompting and adapting Through the videos he's been sharing, Hamiddine is clearly adapting, learning how to use a technology that's only evolving, becoming faster, more realistic, and more efficient. «This reminds me of the shift from film to digital. I often think of Kodak's story, which we can learn from», he reflected. Kodak famously shut down its camera business in 2012 after failing to keep pace with the rise of digital photography. «Why do I bring this up? Because we're going through the same transition, this time, from filming to prompting», Hamiddine said. To him, a movie director or producer can now «see what [they] write, instead of going through the whole process of hiring actors, makeup artists, stylists, planning pre-production, filming, editing, and color grading». «Now, you just need to prompt your idea», he summed up. Can you prompt Morocco ? But does this mean the movie industry is losing jobs and filming locations to AI? Can Morocco, a longtime favorite for foreign film productions thanks to its iconic locations like the Ouarzazate studios and kasbahs, favorable weather, experienced extras, and skilled technicians, be recreated with prompts? According to Hamiddine, the answer is nuanced: «I'm not saying it will replace everything 100%», he clarified. «But with this AI evolution, some jobs sooner or later will disappear». And not just jobs, certain gear, too. Just as film cameras became obsolete, AI could soon replace «cameras, studios, sound equipment, and even set décor», he said. «AI will impact the cinema industry, that is for sure. Even if it doesn't fully take over, it will certainly change things», he noted. What might remain, however, are genres rooted in realism, such as documentaries, news, and testimony-based content, where real human presence is irreplaceable, he signaled. Human connection vs. prompted That sentiment is echoed by Hicham Hajji, a producer and filmmaker working between Hollywood and Morocco. While he sees AI as a potential asset for filmmakers, especially in speeding up complex visual effects, he's skeptical about it fully replacing human-made movies. «Movies survived World War I, World War II, COVID… and they'll survive Artificial Intelligence», he told Yabiladi. According to him, people still crave human connection even through actors. «There will definitely be attempts to replace them, and we might go through a few tough years. But in the end, audiences won't enjoy watching movies with character actors who don't exist. They won't connect with them. People will want real actors back», he explained. Hajji, who helps bring Hollywood productions to Morocco, isn't yet convinced that Morocco as a filming location is under threat. «It's too early to tell», he said. «But from my experience, the best filmmakers are always after authenticity. They want to shoot in real locations, with real actors», he said. And Morocco offers that. For now, AI might enhance reality, not replace it, said the movie director who shot parts of his new movie The Lost Princess in Morocco. Hamiddine shares the same principle. «You could film in Ouarzazate but use AI to generate a dragon scene. Just like augmented reality, AI can boost what's already been filmed», he said. «Or maybe, instead of hiring hundreds of extras, you hire ten and duplicate them with AI». «But completely replacing places like Ouarzazate? I don't think so, not anytime soon», he concluded.
