As artificial intelligence continues to stoke debate in every corner of the entertainment industry, Vince Gilligan (Better Call Saul, El Camino) has made it clear that he has no plans to use the technology in his work, while also keeping transparency at top of mind.
In the closing credits of the Breaking Bad creator’s new post-apocalyptic sci-fi series Pluribus, which debuted its first two episodes Friday on Apple TV+, line of text reads “this show was made by humans,” reports Deadline.
According to Deadline, the series follows Albuquerque author Carol Sturka, played by Rhea Seehorn (StanLand, Veep), who is one of only 12 people on Earth who is immune to an alien virus that converts humans into members of a hive mind that forces unyielding happiness on its hosts.
Gilligan has been part of a faction of creatives who have refused to use AI, telling Polygon that “I have not used ChatGPT, because as of yet, no one has held a shotgun to my head and made me do it.”
“I will never use it. No offense to anyone who does,” Gilligan added. “I really wasn’t thinking about AI [when I wrote Pluribus], because this was about eight or 10 years ago.”
Also this week, Coca-Cola has faced intense criticism for yet another AI-generated holiday campaign, which was intended to recall imagery from the company’s 1995 commercial titled “Holidays Are Coming,” per NBC. The new ad follows the beverage-maker’s recent trend of using generative AI, which it has toyed with since 2023 and has drawn the ire of consumers and creatives.
Those same creatives are also worried about AI “actress” Tilly Norwood, which threatens to replace human actors in everything from marketing campaigns to television and film. The creator of the human lookalike, Eline Van der Velden (Two Sides of History, Miss Holland), recently told Deadline that she plans to “create 40 very diverse characters to build [Norwood’s] whole universe and to play in this AI genre with a whole new cast.”
Although studios have largely been ready to adopt the divisive technology, their agreements with writers’ and actors’ unions made in the wake of 2023’s Hollywood strikes cast a cloud of uncertainty over the phenomenon started by Van der Velden.
In the meantime, Gilligan’s AI-free Pluribus is making waves with viewers and critics alike, with the series scoring a 100% critics rating and an 85% approval among general audiences, according to ratings aggregator Rotten Tomatoes. Mxdwn’s Lorin Williams called the first episode a “stellar start” with a “brilliant” narrative and “perfect” pacing in his review.
Karolina Wydra (Europa Report, After) and Carlos-Manuel Vesga (Love of My Life, The Hijacking of Flight 601) star alongside Seehorn, while Gilligan executive produces with Diane Mercer (Enlisted, Help Me Help You), Allyce Ozarski (I Love That for You, Super Pumped), Gordon Smith (The Scary City, Outsiders), and Alison Tatlock (Brave New World, Stranger Things).
The show’s first two episodes are currently available on Apple TV+, with new episodes streaming every Friday.
Watch the trailer below.