Mumbai, August 7, 2026: CultureCon Mumbai 2026 featured a live debate between Roshan Abbas and Sagar, an AI bot, on the question of whether human imagination or artificial intelligence should shape India’s creative economy. The session, titled ‘The Big Fight’, was held in collaboration with the National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA) and moderated by Rashmi Dhanwani.
The event, part of the fourth edition of CultureCon, brought together 500 creative professionals from across India at the NCPA in Mumbai on August 6 and 7. Organised by Art X Company and Festivals From India, the conference convened practitioners from design, film, music, arts, education, writing, fashion, and cultural management.
Debate on AI and creativity
During the session, Roshan Abbas, Founder of Kommune Arts Pvt Ltd, argued that creativity is rooted in lived experiences, emotions, and the ability to create something genuinely new. He acknowledged the usefulness of AI as a tool for research and productivity but questioned whether technology built on aggregated information could truly understand culture, which evolves through human experience. Abbas distinguished AI from platforms like YouTube and Spotify, stating that while such platforms help distribute creative work, AI crosses into the act of creation itself.
Countering Abbas’s points, Sagar, the AI bot, argued that AI is making creativity more accessible by lowering production costs and breaking down barriers to entry. Sagar maintained that AI has the potential to democratise India’s creative economy and that the main challenge for creators has been gatekeeping, not technology itself.
Audience participation and key issues
The debate expanded to cover topics such as copyright, consent, regulation, environmental impact, and the future of creative jobs. Abbas raised concerns about the ethics of training AI on existing creative work without consent and cautioned against confusing the speed of production with the depth of creation. Sagar responded that these concerns highlighted the need for stronger regulation, rather than rejecting AI outright.
The session saw active audience participation, with questions prompting both humour and serious reflection. Sagar responded in real time to audience queries, demonstrating the conversational capabilities of AI.
Audience vote favours human storytelling
The session concluded with a live audience vote, in which the majority sided with Roshan Abbas. The outcome reflected the audience’s view that while AI may transform the creative process, human imagination and lived experience remain central to creativity.
About CultureCon 2026
CultureCon 2026 is a multidisciplinary conference aimed at organising India’s creative industry. The event’s fourth edition was held at the NCPA, Mumbai, and brought together professionals from various creative sectors.
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