By Gavin Boyle
Ken Jennings explained why he is suspicious about the changes that may occur as a result of AI, especially in artistic fields where the human soul is at the core of quality work.
“I work in a creative field and when I watch something or I listen to something, I want to feel like it’s coming from a mind. I want that sense of someone talking to me and I never get that with AI slop,” Jennings told Fox News Digital.
“I’m deeply skeptical of AI,” he added.
While these comments were made in reference to his position as the host of JEOPARDY!, this is not the first time Jennings has had to consider if his role has become redundant because of AI. In February 2011, Jennings partook in a unique JEOPARDY! competition when he faced IBM’s Watson computer.
Though the computer was unable to answer every question perfectly — memorably missing a Final Jeopardy question about Chicago’s airports — Watson, dominated the competition, finishing the game with a total prize of $77,147 compared to Jennings’ $24,000 and human co-competitor Brad Ruttler’s $21,600.
“‘Quiz show contestant’ may be the first job made redundant by Watson, but I’m sure it won’t be the last,” Jennings quipped after the competition.
Nearly 15 years later, Jennings has proven to be right, as the widespread release of AI tools has many creatives fearing for their livelihoods. Last October, 26,000 creatives signed an open letter calling for new regulation on AI, while in March, 400 celebrities signed a letter sent to President Donald Trump calling for stronger AI legislation.
“We firmly believe that America’s global AI leadership must not come at the expense of our essential creative industries,” the letter, which was signed by celebrities like Ben Stiller, Cate Blanchett and Mark Ruffalo, said. “America’s arts and entertainment industry supports over 2.3 million American jobs…but AI companies are asking to undermine this economic and cultural strength.”
Related: Thousands of Creatives Sign Open Letter Calling for AI Regulation
Concerns over AI have been at the center of Hollywood since the dual writers’ and actors’ strikes in the summer of 2023 when these groups lobbied for strong AI protections in their newest contracts.
Some in the industry believe these protections are strong enough to bar any studio hoping to replace their workers with AI, allowing creatives to use the tool to aid their work instead. But others remain fearful that as the technology improves, production heads will begin prioritizing the technology over its human counterparts.
“AI can create a convincing simulation of a human actor, and the tech is improving at an alarming rate,” former FAMILY TIES star Justin Bateman told Variety during the strikes. “I stress that this is an existential threat, and if they can do this with actors, they can do it with writers, directors, cinematographers — everyone. We’ll be replaced with Frankenstein spoonfuls of our own work.”
Whether that happens is yet to be seen, but it may be better to view the technology as Jennings does. In general, we consume media just as much to be entertained as to connect with others, and until technology is able to achieve that second aspect, it is just as likely to replace creatives as it is to replace game show contestants.
Read Next: Will Hollywood Creatives’ Letter to Trump Protect Copyrighted Works from AI?
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