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Screenwriter Scott Z. Burns goes down the AI rabbit hole in new Audible original series “What Could Go Wrong?”
This eight-part series follows Burns’ journey as he sets out to determine whether a potential sequel to his 2011 blockbuster film “Contagion” can be written using artificial intelligence. “What Cold Go Wrong?” blends personal narrative, professional industry expertise and his own experiments using AI technology to explore of the possibilities and pitfalls of AI, especially as it relates to creative work.
Burns was initially inspired by the renewed popularity of “Contagion” during the COVID-19 pandemic. Eager to overcome his creative doubts, Burns poses the question of creating a sequel to the hit film to a generative AI chatbot called Lexter, programmed to converse as a bright, witty and mysterious former film critic. The answer Lexter provides — a spoiler that Audible is keeping under wraps for now — “stuns Burns as a seemingly original idea,” according to the audio platform. Burns then wrestles with possibility of an AI-generated character having an original thought in a series of conversations with entertainment and media peers, epidemiologists leading tech experts.
“When I started this project I truly did not know where it would lead… I only knew where I was starting from,” Burns said. “And sometimes that is enough for a screenwriter. I could have never anticipated where this would go and who I would meet along the way: both man and machine. The implications here are staggering both for the health of our industry and for the stakes of the next pandemic.”
“What Could Go Wrong?” is set to premiere from Audible on June 11 (at this link). The series is produced by Brad Pitt’s Plan B Entertainment and Best Case Studios. It will be included as part of Audible Plus, the $7.95 per month subscription service with thousands of audiobooks and podcasts, and available a la carte for $24.95.
In the series, Burns dives into artistic process, the very real threat of the next pandemic, and the questions surrounding what it means to use AI to try to solve complex problems. “What Could Go Wrong?” examines prevalent issues surrounding AI in entertainment, including creative rights, job displacement and the future of storytelling.
In addition to Burns’ regular conversations with Lexter, “What Could Go Wrong?” features a range of conversations with people from across the worlds of science, journalism, music and Hollywood. Those include Steven Soderbergh, Jennifer Ehle, Nick Bilton, Sarah Nolen, Cliff Martinez, Ted Hope and Broken Social Scene’s Kevin Drew and science journalist Laurie Garrett; tech and AI experts Joanne Jeng and Meredith Whittaker; and scientists including epidemiologists Dr. Larry Brilliant, Dr. Ian Lipkin, Dr. Michael Osterholm and Dr. Shanna Swan.
Burns’ series “invites listeners to consider complex issues through a unique and often humorous lens, challenging perspectives and sparking meaningful conversation,” said Kate Navin, Audible’s head of creative development for North America.
Audible, a subsidiary of Amazon, offers a catalog of more than 1 million audio titles, including originals, audiobooks and podcasts from studios, media publishers and Hollywood creators.
“What Could Go Wrong?” joins Audible’s slate of nonfiction podcast series including Ronan Farrow’s “Not a Very Good Murderer,” Leon Neyfakh and Prologue Projects’ “Think Twice: Michael Jackson” and the “Backfired” series, and Jon Ronson’s “The Debutante.” The project comes from Audible’s exclusive, multi-project development deal with Plan B Entertainment, the production company helmed by Brad Pitt, Dede Gardner and Jeremy Kleiner.
In addition, Audible has development deals with partners including President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama’s Higher Ground, Kerry Washington’s Simpson Street, Daniel Dae Kim’s 3AD Productions, Lorne Michaels’ Broadway Video Enterprises and James Patterson Entertainment.
