This Doctor Who episode reveals the bright side of AI-generated content, says BBC director general 

Artificial intelligence is growing day by day, and it has also been playing a big role in the entertainment world. While talking about the Doctor Who TV series, BBC Director General Matt Brittin shared what this technology can already produce.

Brittin said he was recently sent a 50-minute Doctor Who episode made entirely with AI, and his reaction was surprisingly positive. He said it was "pretty good", while also making it clear that artificial intelligence won't replace humans.

He said:

"I mean, it’s not going to replace humans, but we’ll come on to that."

Deadline reported that Brittin made these comments while the TV industry is trying to understand how AI could change the way shows and stories are made. He spoke about this at the Royal Television Society London Convention.

During the event, he also talked about the BBC’s current problems, including financial pressure and how the broadcaster plans to handle it.

A Doctor Who episode created with AI shows what this technology can do now

BBC Director General Matt Brittin shared that he was sent an episode of Doctor Who that was made using AI, and that it shows how much creativity can be done using this technology. Kelly Day, Amazon/Prime Video’s international boss, was also present at the same RTS London Convention, and Brittin agreed with her when she said:

"[AI] brings down costs, meaning more stories can be made, more diverse voices can get heard and more creative risks get taken."

Then Brittin said:

"Everyone’s [now] got the ability to create content almost at the standard of a Hollywood studio. In some cases it’s not perfect, but look at what you can do, and that’s changing all the time."

The episode was not simply a short test or a brief clip. He said it ran for around 50 minutes and had been produced completely through artificial intelligence. For a franchise as established as Doctor Who, the example is particularly striking.

The BBC science-fiction series has been part of British television for about six decades, giving the experiment an interesting connection to one of the broadcaster’s best-known properties. However, Brittin did not say AI should replace writers, actors or directors.

Instead, he sees it as another tool that people in the entertainment industry could use while making shows. AI could also make production cheaper and easier for smaller teams.

BBC’s AI plans come as the broadcaster faces major changes

Brittin’s remarks regarding artificial intelligence come at a time when changes are underway at the BBC. While he is open to AI making and presenting a programme if proper rules are in place, Brittin insists on the importance of creativity done by humans.

The BBC is also dealing with financial challenges. The broadcaster plans to save £500 million, which may lead to the cutting of 2,000 jobs. Brittin said he regularly talks to employees whose jobs may be affected.

The broadcaster is also looking at changing some traditional services as more viewers watch content online and on demand. BBC Three is one service that could face changes. So, AI could play a big role in this situation, but the Doctor Who episode made with this technology does not prove that human creativity is easily replaceable.

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