Hacks Creators Speak Out: Why We Hate AI
▼ Summary
– Actor Hannah Einbinder criticized AI creators as “losers” and “not artists,” and the show’s cocreators agree that human creativity is vital.
– Hacks cocreators Paul W. Downs and Lucia Aniello emphasize the value of a tough, no-shortcuts approach to making entertainment.
– The show has been praised for sharp writing and thoughtful portrayal of the evolving relationship between Deborah Vance and Ava.
– Hacks weaves in plotlines about media consolidation, corporate censorship, and artificial intelligence, reflecting the real entertainment industry.
– Downs and Aniello, married in 2021, discussed their commitment to human creativity in a WIRED interview ahead of the series finale.
If you’re someone who uses AI in a creative capacity, you might want to steer clear of the team behind Hacks. In an interview earlier this year, actor Hannah Einbinder,who plays Ava Daniels on the show,didn’t hold back, calling AI users “losers,” “not artists,” and “not special.”
The show’s cocreators are in full agreement. During a recent conversation for The Big Interview, ahead of the Hacks series finale on HBO Max, Paul W. Downs and Lucia Aniello made their stance clear: human creativity is irreplaceable, and the rise of AI threatens something essential in the art of storytelling.
If their work on Hacks is any measure, Downs, Aniello, and their third cocreator Jen Statsky are wise to stick with the demanding, no-shortcuts approach that has defined the show. Over five stellar seasons,if you haven’t watched, it’s worth your time,Hacks has earned acclaim for its razor-sharp writing and nuanced portrayal of the evolving bond between Deborah Vance and Ava. The series has also held a mirror to the entertainment industry, weaving in storylines about media consolidation, corporate censorship, and, yes, artificial intelligence.
As the show wraps, its cast and creators have been on a media tour. (If your Instagram feed is suddenly full of Hacks content, you’re not alone.) When they reached out to WIRED, we were eager to talk. I had the chance to sit down with Downs and Aniello,both WIRED subscribers, which was a pleasant surprise,earlier this month. Here’s our conversation.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
KATIE DRUMMOND: Lucia Aniello and Paul Downs, who I just learned are married, congratulations and welcome to The Big Interview.
LUCIA ANIELLO: Thank you so much.
PAUL W. DOWNS: You should have been there. You should have been there.
Aniello: Ugh, why didn’t we bring you? That’s crazy. Next time. We are going to renew for our 10-year at the same place though.
Where was the wedding?
Aniello: It was in Italy. In Tuscany. That’s all I’ll say.
Downs: Lucia was born in Italy, so it was closer to a lot of family.
And you were married in what year?
Aniello: 2021.
So I have some time, like another five years …
Downs: You have time to find your look. Don’t stress.
A major priority for me in my life is perfecting my look. It’s very important to us at WIRED, having our look down.
Aniello: Fashion first, that’s WIRED. That’s you guys, right?
We do work at Condé Nast, and my boss is Anna Wintour. So “fashion first” has become more of a priority for me than it used to be. It’s like “fashion third,” you know?
Downs: Fashion third. I like that.
My husband and I blew through a bunch of season 5 of Hacks this weekend. I’m excited to talk to you about the show, and I want to start by talking about women, a subject close to my heart, as I am one. But I also run a magazine that was run by men for years.
I’m surrounded by men. They’re everywhere in my life. They’re everywhere in our coverage. And this show I love, in particular, because it centers around this relationship between these two women, who are very powerful in different ways in their own right, and they have this very complicated relationship and this big generational gap.
(Source: Wired)