Russell T Davies, the acclaimed showrunner and writer behind Doctor Who, has responded critically to recent remarks made by BBC Director General Matt Brittin regarding artificial intelligence and television production. Brittin had stated at a Royal Television Society conference in September that he received an unofficial AI-generated Doctor Who episode that he characterized as “pretty good,” running approximately 50 minutes in length.
Davies expressed concern about the timing and context of Brittin’s comments, describing them as “clumsy” given their potential impact on writers, artists, and others working in the industry who could be first to face consequences from AI integration. Speaking to BBC Radio 4’s The Media Show, Davies noted that the remarks generated considerable professional concern, as evidenced by multiple messages he received in response. Brittin subsequently addressed the controversy at a staff meeting, explaining that he was attempting to illustrate the rapid pace of technological change rather than endorsing AI replacement of human creativity. The director general emphasized his commitment to human-led creativity at the BBC while acknowledging he had “got into trouble” over his initial comments.
Davies observed that Brittin, who previously worked at Google before joining the BBC, had limited experience in television and suggested he might approach such commentary differently in the future. When discussing AI more broadly, Davies expressed serious reservations about writers using AI tools to generate first drafts, questioning the fundamental purpose of professional writers if such automation becomes standard practice. He confirmed he does not personally use AI for scriptwriting but acknowledged concern that the technology could increasingly replace human writers in some contexts.
On Doctor Who specifically, Davies indicated that while the planned Christmas special has been cancelled and Disney+ is no longer co-financing the series, production will continue. He promised that new episodes would begin filming for summer broadcast next year, featuring a new Doctor and companion, though he will not be involved in those productions. Davies’ remarks come as he promotes his recently released memoir documenting his extensive career in British television.
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