WWE's AI Experiment: A Step Forward or a Misstep?

WWE has recently brought in a new hire, Cyrus Kowsari, to lead the charge in blending AI with their storytelling. This move has sparked debates among fans and wrestlers alike. Kowsari's role is to explore how AI can shape WWE's narratives, but so far, the results have been less than impressive. In the past, WWE tried using AI to craft storylines, but it didn't go well. The AI couldn't grasp the complexities of wrestling narratives. Another attempt involved feeding scripts into Writer AI, but it struggled with the concept of "kayfabe, " the term for the portrayal of staged events as real. One of the AI's suggestions was for Bobby Lashley to return as a wrestler obsessed with Japanese culture, which was odd because Lashley wasn't even with the company at the time. Recently, WWE NXT featured a promo for Matt and Jeff Hardy's tag title match against DarkState, where AI was clearly used. Matt Hardy discussed this on his podcast, The Extreme Life of Matt Hardy. He found the AI's use interesting, especially how it visualized transformations under water, something usually left to the audience's imagination. However, Hardy isn't keen on AI taking over his promos. He prefers to write his own and isn't interested in using AI tools like ChatGPT. WWE has been using AI software for years, but it's mostly been a helper for tasks like reducing background noise in camera shots and organizing files. There's no plan to replace the writing team with AI, but the long-term goals remain uncertain. WWE is known for its innovative approaches, from merging with UFC to forming TKO, to its recent deals with Netflix and ESPN. While AI might not be ready to take over storytelling just yet, WWE is likely to keep exploring its potential. This raises questions about the future of creative roles in wrestling. Will AI eventually replace human writers? Only time will tell. One WWE talent shared their thoughts with Fightful, emphasizing that experienced writers like Michael Hayes, Ed Koskey, and Paul Heyman can't be replaced by AI. For now, the human touch remains irreplaceable in WWE's creative process.