Veteran Writer Criticises AI-Generated Television Scripts
Veteran actor and screenwriter Syed Mohammed Ahmed has raised concerns about the growing use of artificial intelligence in Pakistani television dramas.
Speaking on Sheeba Khan’s podcast Dareecha, Ahmed claimed that several writers were using AI to produce complete 26-episode drama scripts.
He said the use of AI was often easy to identify because the dialogue did not reflect Pakistani language, culture or social behaviour.
According to Ahmed, some writers do not properly edit the AI-generated material before submitting it to production companies.
As a result, conversations between characters can sound unnatural and disconnected from local audiences.
Ahmed questioned how some writers were producing several drama serials within extremely short periods.
He said writing one complete serial normally took him between 10 and 11 months.
He argued that producing multiple full-length dramas within days was not humanly possible without extensive assistance from automated tools or other writers.
Producers Accused of Changing Writers’ Original Work
Ahmed also criticised production houses for heavily altering scripts without respecting the original writer’s vision.
He said talented writers often submitted strong stories, but producers changed the material while chasing ratings, social media attention and viral moments.
The veteran screenwriter mentioned young writer Sarah Majeed as an example of someone with strong writing skills.
However, he said even capable writers faced pressure from producers who dictated storylines and demanded major changes.
Ahmed recalled that he had completed 17 episodes of one television serial.
He was later asked to remove everything written after the eleventh episode.
The actor said screenwriters had little authority over their own stories once scripts reached production companies.
He explained that he eventually gave producers permission to change his work because repeated rewrites failed to satisfy their demands.
Ahmed said every writer had a distinct voice and could not realistically write according to another person’s exact thinking.
He maintained that producers should make their own changes if they remained dissatisfied after multiple revisions.
The experience ultimately reduced his interest in writing for television.
Uncredited Writers and Commercial Pressure Raise Concerns
Ahmed also highlighted the problem of uncredited labour within the drama industry.
He alleged that some established writers relied on students, assistants or content teams to complete scripts.
In other cases, junior workers reportedly edited AI-generated material without receiving any public acknowledgement.
According to Ahmed, production houses often attach a famous writer’s name to a project because that name has commercial value.
The people who perform much of the actual writing or editing may remain uncredited.
He said many writers accepted these conditions because they needed regular income to support their families.
Ahmed acknowledged that he also needed to earn money, but said he had decided to stop writing for producers who demanded stories he could not support.
He particularly criticised the repeated use of toxic conflicts between mothers-in-law and daughters-in-law.
The writer said he could no longer create stories built around the same harmful domestic stereotypes.
Women-Focused Script Failed to Interest Producers
Ahmed revealed that he had written a drama addressing an important issue affecting women.
He believed the story could empower girls and encourage meaningful discussions inside Pakistani households.
However, he claimed producers showed no interest after listening to the script.
Ahmed said the story challenged deeply rooted social attitudes and exposed the way women were sometimes treated within families.
He suggested that the subject made producers uncomfortable because it directly questioned male privilege and domestic power structures.
According to him, the response to the script was complete silence.
He warned that someone could eventually take the central idea and assign another writer to develop it.
Ahmed asked Sheeba Khan to remember that he had originally presented the concept if a similar drama appeared in the future.
His comments have renewed debate about artificial intelligence, creative ownership and working conditions in Pakistan’s television industry.
They also highlight growing concerns that commercial pressure is weakening original storytelling and reducing recognition for professional writers.
