Malta's creative community has expressed deep frustration after discovering that the music video for Eliza Borg's Junior Eurovision entry, I Believe, was made using generative AI. More than 220 artists and organisations signed an open letter criticising the national broadcaster, PBS, for sidelining local talent and disregarding earlier warnings about the unchecked use of AI in cultural production.
The letter follows recent concerns raised by Solidarjetà and the Malta Entertainment Industry and Arts Association (MEIA), who had urged PBS to discuss the growing reliance on generative AI in television production. Instead of engaging, the groups said, PBS proceeded with an AI-driven music video-an approach they argue undermines both artists and viewers.
Representatives from across the sector described the video as visually uniform and narratively unoriginal, saying the choice to use AI excluded choreographers, dancers, costume designers, directors, cinematographers, actors, animators, musicians and VFX professionals who could have delivered a genuinely Maltese creative product. They emphasised that Malta has a strong pool of skilled artists eager for opportunities like this, calling PBS's decision a blow to a sector already fighting for visibility and resources.
Beyond lost work, the organisations argued that the broadcaster failed the public. As a taxpayer-funded institution, PBS is expected to invest in local talent and deliver productions that reflect Malta's culture, not rely on shortcuts they say weaken artistic quality and cultural value.
They pointed to PBS's own achievements as proof that local creatives can deliver high standards. The music video for Miriana Conte's Serving, directed by Steven Levi Vella and shot by Clive Brinca, recently earned a nomination for Best Music Video at the ESC Awards-an example, they said, of what happens when PBS invests in people, not algorithms.
The groups warned that the rising trend of replacing creative work with AI is becoming increasingly alarming in Malta, especially as other countries have already introduced stronger safeguards to protect cultural labour. While they acknowledged that technology can support innovation, they insisted it must not cost people their livelihoods.
They also noted that artists like Borg could themselves be at risk, citing international lawsuits in which major AI companies are accused of using copyrighted work without permission to train their models. Without regulation, they argued, creative workers across all fields face potential exploitation.
The letter urges PBS to engage meaningfully with Solidarjetà, MEIA and industry professionals to create guidelines that prevent AI from displacing human work or lowering artistic standards. As Malta expands its investment in AI, the organisations called on authorities to meet with stakeholders and develop policies that protect jobs and ensure the country's cultural output remains genuinely human.