Egyptian state daily asks: can artificial intelligence run film festivals?

In a column in Egypt’s state‑owned Al‑Ahram, critic Essam Saad explores how AI is moving beyond editing and screenwriting assistance to influence the management of film festivals, from scheduling and audience analytics to jury selection. While acknowledging efficiency gains, the article warns that over‑automating festival decisions could erode the human, emotional and cultural dimensions of cinema events, turning them into "cold" algorithmic systems and raising broader questions about AI’s role in artistic gatekeeping.