Indian screenwriters are increasing the use of artificial intelligence in their work, even as long-standing concerns about pay, credibility and professional recognition continue to dominate sentiment, according to a new industry research report, The Right Draft: 2026, published by talent agency Tulsi and media insights firm Ormax Media.
The second edition of the study, based on a national survey of 254 professional screenwriters, found that AI adoption is already widespread across age groups. 41% of respondents said they use AI tools at least sometimes in the writing process, and half said they did not see AI as a threat to their career.
At the same time, the report highlights growing concerns about the impact of AI on timelines and perceptions of creativity. Nearly 7 in 10 respondents said the presence of AI reduces the value of human creativity in the eyes of producers, and 50% said producers expect writers to use AI to reduce production time.
Three-quarters of screenwriters surveyed said AI could be helpful at certain stages of the writing process, especially early stages of development such as suggestions, references, and first drafts. More than 70% said writers who use AI would be uncomfortable sharing it publicly.
“For the second edition of The Right Draft, we wanted to deepen the industry’s understanding of the on-the-ground experience of writers, from pay, credit, feedback, development structures, and now AI,” said Chaitanya Hegde, co-founder of Tulsea Media. “The data shows some meaningful changes and some stubborn constants. Our hope is that this report will help shift the conversation from awareness to process and toward a more consistent, fair, and creator-friendly system.”
This “stubborn constancy” is most clearly reflected in compensation trends, which have worsened compared to the 2023 survey results. Nearly 74% of respondents said they don’t feel they’re being paid fairly for their work, up from 63% three years ago. More than half said their payments were not made in a timely manner, and nearly four in five said they had to constantly follow up to receive money that was contractually due.
Performance-related compensation remains rare. Two-thirds of respondents said they had never been offered profit sharing or bonuses related to box office revenue or viewership, nor had they asked for such a structure.
Trust and name recognition also continue to be major issues. More than half of screenwriters disagreed with the statement that screenwriters are given fair credit for their work, while nearly two-thirds said there is no defined industry standard for credit credits that producers and platforms consistently follow. More than half said they did not receive equal recognition when co-writing with a director, and over 60% reported similar experiences when co-writing with senior writers.
Theatrical films remain the format in which the importance of the script is most neglected. Only 6% of respondents say producers value the script over the stars in feature films, while 83% say the stars have an advantage. Although streaming and television have performed better, the perceived value of scripted scripts on streaming platforms has declined from 2023 onwards.
The report also notes that access to mentorship and support structures is decreasing. Just 19% of respondents say they have access to great mentors, down from 30% in 2023. Meanwhile, 76% believe the industry does not provide the right infrastructure to help writers develop their skills. Fewer than 4 in 10 said they had access to an effective grievance resolution mechanism.
“Writers are at the core of the storytelling ecosystem, but too many friction points remain structural rather than temporary,” said Shailesh Kapur, founder and CEO of Ormax Media. “By measuring writer sentiment across key dimensions, The Right Draft aims to provide practical input into how the industry can build stronger collaboration, accountability and creative ownership.”
Comprised of seven sections: “The Right Pay,” “The Right Credit,” “The Right Feedback,” “The Right Value,” “The Right Development,” “The Right Tool,” and “The Right Environment,” “The Right Draft: 2026” expands on the 2023 edition by incorporating emerging formats like microdrama and examining the impact of AI on writing workflows alongside ongoing structural challenges around compensation, credit, and support for writers.
