The famed Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul showrunner has made it clear that AI has no place in his new Apple TV series.
‘As this technology progresses, I don’t see how it will make the world a better place’
A few eagle-eyed viewers noticed that the credits of Apple TV’s new show Pluribus include a disclaimer that reads: “This show was made by humans”.
Tucked away in the #Pluribus credits, it reads, “This show was made by humans. pic.twitter.com/Mz5hZOdrxh — Cinematic Visuals (@P0eticVisuals) November 8, 2025
The message is an apparent reference to the increasing use of generative artificial intelligence in TV and movie production, a trend that has sparked debate across the industry, from fears of job displacement to disputes over actors selling or restricting the use of their likenesses.
When asked about AI by Deadline, Gilligan, who had previously mentioned this particular technology’s “detriment” to human creativity, had this to say:
“I do not care for AI (…), but I’ll try to be magnanimous and say that anytime a new technology is created, I have to believe that the central impetus of it is to make the world a better place. It’s just that, as this technology progresses, I don’t see how it will make the world a better place, but maybe it will, because I’m wrong more than I’m right. It depends on what the heck you’re creating a technology for, but more and more, it just seems to be clear, either explicitly or implicitly, that this technology is being designed to take work away, creativity away, creative endeavor away from human beings.”
While it’s clear that Gilligan has given the issue far more thought than the average participant in online debates (who now argue about “AI” with the same fervor they once reserved for the amorphous concept of “CG”), he does make a point to include a rather deliberate jab at the technology in the credits of his own show.
In his interview with Deadline, which is well worth a read, Gilligan goes on to state that “sure there’s a place for AI,” but argues against the notion of the use of this technology as a replacement for the actual creative process that is necessary to craft a good story.
All in all, Gilligan seems open to the idea that AI might have something to add to the creative process, so long as it’s not positioned as a stand-in for human creativity. But as far as Pluribus goes, it doesn’t look like the show will be adopting this technology anytime soon.
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