It's Time to Stop Asking if AI Will Replace Creators - #0051, Victor Varnado

About this episode

I spend a lot of my time talking to investors and entrepreneurs about AI. But the adoption of this tech goes way beyond Silicon Valley or Startup Nation.

A few weeks ago, I spoke with Victor Varnado, an American stand-up comedian, writer, actor, producer, and tech creator. He has worked with local improv troupes and has also appeared in Hollywood movies such as "The Adventures of Pluto Nash with Eddie Murphy.

So Victor is a creative - there’s no doubt about that - but he also stretches his entrepreneurial muscles: He’s the CEO of Supreme Robot Pictures, a creative production and technology company that helped produce a miniseries for Penguin Random House calledThe Great Fantasy Debate.

I wanted to speak to Victor about his approach to creativity and where technology like AI can fit into that. It feels like artists can be sensitive about the use of artificial intelligence (as a writer, I would know!), but I wanted to see how people in the comedy industry can use the technology as a tool, similar to a utility.

He describes a recent brainstorming session where he considered becoming “the world’s most benign supervillain”, which sparked the kind of conversation I’ve never had on this show. “AI helped me figure that out. So now I’m going to launch a public campaign where I become a supervillain,” he explained. By using AI, he crafted a campaign centered around his new persona, King Supernuts, complete with public events like “The Worldwide Tic-Tac-Toe Championship” and a unique twist on villainy.

This integration of AI into his creative workflow showed how technology can elevate artistic expression rather than replace or replicate it. He noted, “AI can help me make the images... logos... all along the way for the creative process.”

I could relate. I use AI every day for things like interview transcription, research, and light editing of my articles. I shouldn’t feel threatened by its presence, but rather liberated by how it can streamline and modify my process.

Victor’s career path shows how we can apply tech to a cohesive creative identity - and that AI isn’t reserved for spreadsheets or mundane tasks. By embracing technology and humor, he illustrates how the arts can evolve in the digital age.

We also spoke about my attempt at stand-up comedy and whether AI can “be funny”: What it means for a technology to make someone laugh, and whether intent is a qualifier for humour. You can learn about it all in our episode.

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