Brief
Russell T Davies slams BBC director general over AI Doctor Who remarks
The veteran writer said the BBC chief’s remarks on a fake AI‑generated Doctor Who episode were ill‑judged and could undermine human creativity.
By Felo News Desk · Published
Long‑time Doctor Who writer Russell T Davies criticised new BBC director general Matt Brittin after the latter spoke about an AI‑generated 50‑minute Doctor Who episode at a Royal Television Society conference in September.
What happened
Brittin told the conference he had been sent a "pretty good" unofficial AI episode and used the example to illustrate the "pace of change" in the industry. He later repeated the point at a staff meeting, saying he wanted to stress that "humans are leading" and that the BBC believes in "human creativity, enhanced by whatever tools".
What the reports add
Davies, speaking on BBC Radio 4’s The Media Show, called the director general’s comment "clumsy" and suggested that someone without extensive television experience might not be "so fruity with an opinion in future". He said his inbox was flooded with messages after the remarks and expressed concern that AI could replace writers, noting he had heard of writers using AI prompts for first drafts.
What was said
"That's a clumsy thing to say in an industry where he's got writers and artists and it specifically affects people, they're the first to take the blow," Davies told The Media Show, as reported by the BBC.
"I want to be really clear: Humans are leading, and I believe in human creativity, enhanced by whatever tools," Brittin said at the staff meeting, according to the BBC article.
How it came about
Davies revived Doctor Who in 2005 after a 16‑year hiatus and returned to the role in 2023 before announcing his departure earlier this year. The BBC has recently cancelled the planned Christmas special and Disney+ is no longer co‑financing the series, placing the flagship programme at a crossroads.
Key facts
- Russell T Davies called Matt Brittin’s AI episode comments "clumsy". (bbc.co.uk)
- Brittin said he was sent a "pretty good" 50‑minute unofficial AI Doctor Who episode. (bbc.co.uk)
- Davies warned AI could replace writers and said he had heard of writers using AI prompts for first drafts. (bbc.co.uk)
Sources
- [1] bbc.co.uk — originally reported as “Russell T Davies criticises BBC boss's 'clumsy' AI Doctor Who comments”
