Steven Moffat Explains How AI Will Eat Its Own Tail Eventually

Former Doctor Who showrunner Steven Moffat is the latest celebrity to voice his opinions about AI generative technology. Though Doctor Who is a sci-fi series renowned for depicting fantastic technology, Moffat unequivocally condemned the use of AI in television and film, arguing that human beings are a far cheaper alternative, and in the end, the more AI becomes commonplace, the likelier it is to fail.

Though numerous celebrities have already spoken out against AI, most of them have expressed beliefs that the technology is unethical at best, and dangerous at worst. Moffat’s opinion, however, represents a slightly different — yet no less accurate — take. Speaking to Radio Times alongside fellow Doctor Who writer Russell T. Davies about the growing use of generative AI, Moffat admitted that, although he did find it fascinating, his biggest criticism was the cost compared to having humans do the work.

“It takes an immense amount of power to run AI. Whereas you can run a human being on sunlight and a vegetable patch.”

While somewhat unconventional, Moffat’s statement isn’t necessarily untrue — a single AI model can require thousands of hours of electricity, and emit hundreds of tons of carbon in a disturbingly short amount of time, a far cry from the needs of the average human being.

Moffat also criticized the unoriginality of AI technology, stating, “The more content that is out there produced by AI, the more it absorbs its own content, and eats its own tail.”

However, Davies took a slightly more optimistic tone, arguing that although AI usage is increasing among the general public, few creatives are relying on it to produce ideas for television shows or movies. “The rate of new ideas on television is higher than we ever allow for,” Davies said. “Every month, or every two months — actually, every day, I could find you something brilliant on TV.”

Ironically enough, the two writers’ drastically different opinions seem to reflect their different eras of Doctor Who showrunning, with Davies known to produce more light-hearted episodes and happier endings, while Moffat is notorious for brutally killing off everyone’s favorite characters.

Generative AI Technology Has Been Criticized By Majority of Hollywood

Although their reasons for criticizing generative AI may seem a little unorthodox, Moffat and Davies are far from the only celebrities to express their distaste for the up-and-coming technology. Celebrated filmmakers like James Cameron, Christopher Nolan, and Guillermo del Toro have all cast their votes against AI, stating that it’s unethical, dangerous, and an insult to “true art.”

Meanwhile, SAG-AFTRA has united thousands of celebrities in order to establish protection for actors, so their likeness can’t be replicated via AI without their consent — an issue that has already sparked lawsuits on behalf of deceased actors such as Peter Cushing. All in all, as AI technology grows stronger and more accessible, the criticisms against it only seem to increase.

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Thankfully, though, it seems that the future of Doctor Who is safe from the use of generative AI, as Russell T. Davies has once again returned to his seat as showrunner. Hopefully, his upcoming Christmas special, “Joy to the World,” can be a pleasant distraction from the perils of modern technology, featuring the 15th Doctor (Ncuti Gatwa) alongside Nicola Coughlan as they check into a “time hotel” that allows them to experience any and every Christmas Day in history.

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Doctor Who

An alien from the planet Gallifrey travels through time and space to explore, solve problems and fight injustice while also making friends with human beings. His spaceship, called TARDIS, resembles a police box, but it is much more than it appears to be.
 

Release Date

March 26, 2005

Cast

Jodie Whittaker , Christopher Eccleston , David Tennant , Matt Smith , Peter Capaldi , Billie Piper , Karen Gillan , Catherine Tate , Jenna Coleman , Alex Kingston , John Barrowman , Tosin Cole , Arthur Darvill

Seasons

13