This Question Time intro with an AI ‘panel’ of famous people from history was a perfect demonstration of not reading the room
Thursday’s episode of Question Time was an AI special, with experts from the field both advocating for and warning against the use of AI.
As well as living, present, human panellists, the show featured an AI-generated panel of people who probably didn’t actually need an introduction, but they got one anyway.
Tonight Question Time features an imagined AI panel made up of historical figures who shaped the modern world
Watch the #bbcqt AI special now on @BBCiPlayer and @BBCNews to see what our REAL panel have to say on AI, including how it can blur the lines between reality and fakery pic.twitter.com/G1HVSUyt5t
— BBC Question Time (@bbcquestiontime) May 28, 2026
Talk about not reading the room …
1.
Are we okay https://t.co/JGLXtdXzE4
— Scott Bryan (@scottygb) May 28, 2026
2.
The thing about these kinds of Gen AI use cases is that the BBC could have easily made this video before these tools existed – you could do it with actors in makeup, you could do it with traditional VFX.
The fact that you're only doing it now means you only thought it was worth… https://t.co/nCmjdbDB4H
— Fergus Navaratnam-Blair (@Fergus_NBlair) May 28, 2026
3.
HAHAHAHAHA https://t.co/FdtAF3SEBy
— twitch.tv/Limmy (@DaftLimmy) May 28, 2026
4.
Genuinely offensive on so many levels. What a horrifying and listless age, the opposite of innovation https://t.co/I9eheHBvEy
— Ed Zitron (@edzitron) May 29, 2026
5.
You should all apologise for being so embarrassingly shit at this and resign.
— Sean Biggerstaff (@Seanchuckle) May 29, 2026
6.
As expected, not one person brought up the huge theft of creative work that most generative AI models are based on.
Not only that, but they used AI video – presumably generated by a model based on theft.
A huge lack of balance, and a terrible missed opportunity to educate the… https://t.co/tIK92kZ7HM
— Ed Newton-Rex (@ednewtonrex) May 29, 2026
7.
The planet is burning. https://t.co/deoakx2olg
— George Aylett (@GeorgeAylett) May 28, 2026
8.
Again, I wonder if half the problem with our media outlets and politicians now might just be the increasing purity of cocaine available to buy in London https://t.co/U3G7irev7G
— Flying_Rodent (@flying_rodent) May 28, 2026
9.
Question Time featured an AI generated panel of historical figures who helped shape the modern world. Reviewers are calling it everything from ‘shit’ to ‘fuckin shit’ https://t.co/snhz4s4dQT pic.twitter.com/eQYSeEhQZd
— Ruth Husko (@dank_ackroyd) May 29, 2026
10.
Disgusting take from the @BBC tonight. AI was trained from human creative work without consent. There was nobody on the panel to represent the £145.8 billion UK creative industries. https://t.co/qSLOXKkMQP
— Thomas Hewitt Jones (@thewittjones) May 28, 2026
11.
at least GB News had the decency to have a human Churchill lookalike on and then interview him as if he was the real Churchill for some reason https://t.co/3vSZMQAOFa
— BRYN_BORANGA (@BRYN_BORANGA) May 28, 2026
12.
So BBC are moaning that 16-24 year olds are lazy whilst creating ai of dead people for a tv programme. You actually cannot write it https://t.co/YsMviAP4wy
— Frankie (@FR27Design) May 28, 2026
13.
using an ARTIST'S IMAGE especially for smth like this holy shit everyone involved in this is going to hell https://t.co/BzqRAgzI8l
— charley 🏳️⚧️ (@charleybollard) May 28, 2026
14.
Everyone involved in this should be so deeply embarrassed that they never feel comfortable being part of society ever again.
What the fuck is this shit? https://t.co/18FR0YoBso
— MrTARDIS (@TrilbeeReviews) May 29, 2026
15.
People without water in parts of the country because Question Time used all the fresh water to make an AI panel of dead people https://t.co/5uSnLUfiNf
— Leah Dionne (@leahdionne__) May 28, 2026
In case you sensed there was something a little off with the whole episode, besides the AI, it might have been this.
This is ridiculous. They don’t even have anyone from Reform. Did Farage say no to this one too? Where is he? https://t.co/rDlZfKO8pX
— ALASTAIR CAMPBELL (@campbellclaret) May 29, 2026
We’ll leave the last word to the wonderful Guy Goma, who went viral when he turned up for a job interview but was mistaken for another guest and interviewed on live television instead.
At least I was alive when the BBC interviewed me. https://t.co/QgyZubl1ni
— Guy Goma (@RealWrongGuy) May 28, 2026
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Source BBC Image Screengrab