Highlights
- Matt Brittin, the BBC's director-general, has reviewed a 50-minute AI-generated episode of "Doctor Who," labeling it as “pretty good.”
- Brittin emphasized that AI will “not replace humans.”
- The BBC had previously scrapped plans to use generative AI for marketing the show after viewer backlash.
The recently appointed director-general of the BBC, Matt Brittin, has shared his thoughts on a 50-minute episode of the iconic sci-fi series "Doctor Who," produced by AI, and he found it to be “pretty good.”
According to a report by Variety, during a talk at the Royal Television Society conference, Brittin mentioned that AI is “not going to replace humans, and we’ll come on to that,” adding that “everyone’s a creator. Not all the creativity is bad.” Just days prior, he had indicated in an interview that he might consider allowing an AI-generated BBC program, "within guardrails."
This announcement coincides with the long-running series, which debuted in 1963, being put out to tender after a break following a hiatus that followed the end of a $220 million deal with Disney.
Brittin, who succeeded in becoming the head of the BBC after an 18-year career at Google, did not disclose additional details about the AI-generated episode, such as whether it was produced internally by the BBC or submitted by an external entity. The BBC has chosen not to comment further.
The BBC's earlier foray into AI and "Doctor Who" faced significant criticism from fans. In 2024, the broadcaster had announced it would start using generative AI for marketing efforts related to major shows, beginning with "Doctor Who." However, within weeks, the BBC abandoned those plans due to “complaints” from viewers, characterizing its earlier attempts as a “small trial.”
This situation unfolded shortly after the BBC had outlined its “core principles” for generative AI use, identifying the technology as a “significant opportunity” while committing to a code of public interest that prioritizes talent, “human creativity,” and transparency.
Since then, the BBC has initiated a variety of “pilot projects” involving generative AI, which include an AI-generated synthetic voice for weather forecasts and enhancements of images.