Simpson‘s Writer Bashes AI: „AI Stands For Artificial Idiocy”

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At the Annecy International Animation Film Festival, the creator of “The Simpsons,” Matt Groening, along with his long-term associates, stepped onto the stage to discuss a topic that is becoming increasingly significant: might it be possible for artificial intelligence (AI) to someday manage the longest-running animated series in history?

Their answer? A resounding “no” – or at least, not anytime soon.

“AI Will Never Have A Sense Of Humour”

During a panel conversation, Matt Selman, a writer and executive producer from The Simpsons, openly expressed his views.

“The Simpsons will be the last show to embrace AI, not the first.”

Additionally, he disclosed that there exists an ongoing group chat among the writers’ team, which serves as their shared platform for amusement, particularly when AI tools such as ChatGPT make peculiar and sometimes incorrect descriptions of the series, provoking laughter.

“AI will confidently refer to this episode – that doesn’t exist. It will make up titles, will make up guest stars, and will say actors play people who didn’t appear,”

Selman said, highlighting the persistent inaccuracies in AI-generated content.

“It’s very intriguing. However, my gut feeling is AI will never have a sense of humour. So I think humans are needed.”

Groening chimed in with his signature dry wit: “Well, AI stands for artificial idiocy.”

Could AI Ever Actually Run The Simpsons?

As a gamer, I’ve been pondering: With advancements in AI technology enabling voice mimicking and script generation, I sometimes find myself questioning if the legendary show, The Simpsons, theoretically could keep running indefinitely, even without its original cast or creators.

While technically it’s possible for AI to generate various assets and animate scenes, there is a significant amount of doubt among creators and many fans about this capability.

Though AI has the technical potential to create needed assets and animate scenes, creators and numerous fans are hesitant to fully embrace this idea.

In a humorous twist, an earlier event explored the concept by suggesting that an upcoming episode might be penned by an AI. This special episode, titled “Bart’s Birthday” and humorously marketed as the series finale, featured a fictional AI named Hack-GPT taking on the task of writing the final episode. This playful move was a witty commentary on fans’ speculations about the show’s eventual ending, hinting that The Simpsons is well-versed in the presence of AI within their writers’ room.

While certain enthusiasts view AI as a means to continue the series even when primary voice actors step down or depart, there are others who contend that swapping human creators and actors would rob the show of its essence.

Increasingly, spectators are of the opinion that the show, which has been on for quite some time now, ought to conclude gracefully, rather than resorting to automated scriptwriting when it becomes necessary.

The Real Problem: AI Doesn’t Fit The Animation Pipeline

For individuals managing operations, the challenge isn’t solely an ethical one – it’s a matter of practicality. David Silverman, director of The Simpsons Movie and numerous classic episodes, highlighted the incongruity between AI and the intricate workings of the show’s production process.

“The production pipeline animation doesn’t fit [with AI]. There’s no way to actually utilise it. All it will do is confuse things,”

he told Screen Daily.

I’ve always been captivated by the intricate process of creating an animated production. From scriptwriting to storyboarding, character design, key animation, in-between frames, coloring, and finally editing – it’s a beautifully organized and polished art form that has evolved gracefully over the course of many years.

AI-created images sometimes struggle to maintain the uniformity and accuracy required to depict a character such as Homer Simpson consistently across each frame. One instance could show his eyes being slightly out of proportion, while the next might display an irregular jawline.

AI models, unlike their human counterparts, typically lack the ability for fine-tuned edits, which can be problematic for teams that require control over productions.

For professional animators, correcting these errors can create more work, not less.

Additionally, navigating the legal landscape can be tricky due to potential issues with AI tools that have been trained using copyrighted works. This creates concerns about who truly owns the intellectual property generated by these tools.

In the case of a series like The Simpsons, which is heavily associated with its brand and extensively merchandised, employing AI-generated content might actually hinder rather than expedite production, mainly because of the need for extensive legal reviews.

Lastly, let’s not forget about the essential human aspect: teamwork. The success of this animation relies heavily on consistent input from us humans, the gamers, as we provide valuable feedback throughout the process.

Writers refine humor, directors shape emotional moments, and animators perfect physical humor. AI could potentially introduce confusion by generating content that’s not easily comprehended by everyone.

So now it’s up for you to decide: What’s worse: an AI-run Simpsons or no Simpsons at all?

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2025-06-17 00:40