Russell T Davies challenges BBC chief’s praise for AI Doctor Who episode
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Russell T Davies has criticised BBC director general Matt Brittin for calling an unofficial AI-generated Doctor Who episode “pretty good”, saying the remark was clumsy in an industry where writers and artists are among those most affected by AI. Brittin said he was trying to illustrate the pace of technological change and stressed that human creativity, enhanced by tools, would remain central to the BBC.
Davies said he does not use AI to write scripts and would be shocked if writers used it to produce a first draft, questioning what they would be paid to do. He fears AI could replace writers, and said that may already be happening in some cases. Davies also said another Doctor Who series is planned, with production expected to begin next summer with a new Doctor and companion, although he will not be involved.
- Davies says Brittin’s AI comments were clumsy.
- Brittin says human creativity will remain central.
- A new Doctor Who series is planned for next summer.
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Doctor Who is a long-running BBC science-fiction series about an alien time traveller known as the Doctor, who explores the universe with human companions. Russell T Davies is a television writer who has worked on the programme as its lead writer and producer.
Artificial intelligence tools can generate text and images, raising questions about how they may affect creative work. Writers and artists have raised concerns about jobs, ownership and whether AI-made material can match human work; broadcasters such as the BBC must weigh these issues as the technology develops.
The BBC is Britain’s public service broadcaster, and its director general leads the organisation. Comments from senior BBC figures about AI can matter to people who make programmes, as well as to audiences concerned about how the broadcaster will use the technology.
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Davies’s criticism reflects a reasonable concern that praising an AI-generated episode may signal that machine-made work is an acceptable substitute for writers and artists whose livelihoods and creative contribution are at stake. In a publicly funded broadcaster, leaders have particular reason to communicate carefully about technology that could weaken professional standards or employment.
The case against
Brittin’s comment can be understood as an attempt to acknowledge how quickly AI is advancing, rather than to endorse replacing human creators. Exploring AI-generated work may help the BBC understand the technology’s capabilities and limits, while his assurance that human creativity will remain central addresses concerns about its role.
Full account
Russell T Davies has criticised BBC director general Matt Brittin for describing an unofficial, AI-generated Doctor Who episode as “pretty good”. Brittin made the remark at a Royal Television Society conference in September. Speaking later on BBC Radio 4’s The Media Show, Davies called it a clumsy comment in an industry where writers and artists are directly affected by the technology. He said his inbox had quickly filled with messages about it, and speculated that Brittin’s had too.
Brittin subsequently told BBC staff that he had been trying to illustrate the speed of change and the capabilities of AI. He said he believed in human creativity, supported by tools, and that people would remain central to the BBC’s work. Davies suggested Brittin’s limited experience in television might lead him to be more cautious about expressing opinions on the subject. Brittin joined the BBC in May 2026 after a career at Google.
Davies also raised wider concerns about AI and writing. He said he had heard of writers using prompts to produce first drafts, a practice he found difficult to understand, and said he did not use AI to write his own scripts. He was concerned that the technology could replace writers, and thought that might already be happening in some cases.
The comments come amid uncertainty over Doctor Who’s future. Davies, who revived the series in 2005 and returned as showrunner in 2023, is stepping away. The BBC has cancelled a planned Christmas special, and Disney+ has ended its co-financing arrangement. Davies nevertheless said production of a new series, with a new Doctor and companion, was expected to begin in the summer of 2027. The reports offer different context: one focuses more on Davies’s broader views on AI and his career, while the other highlights the show’s uncertain future and says the BBC has invited production pitches, including interest from Line of Duty creator Jed Mercurio.
Where outlets differ
Both reports describe Brittin’s conference remark and Davies’s response. The first adds Brittin’s later explanation to BBC staff, Davies’s views on AI-assisted writing, and background on his television career; the second gives more detail about the show’s commissioning context, including a BBC tender for producer pitches and Jed Mercurio’s interest.
The reports describe the AI episode slightly differently: the first calls it an unofficial episode and specifies a 50-minute runtime, while the second calls it fully AI-generated. Both say Brittin described it as “pretty good”.
The first says another series is on the cards and reports Davies’s production timing; the second says a new series is definitely happening and places this against the BBC’s search for producers. Both give the expected production start as summer next year.
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Originally published by BBC Entertainment as “Russell T Davies criticises BBC boss’s ‘clumsy’ AI Doctor Who comments”.