Recent reports provide new details on how World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) uses artificial intelligence, confirming the technology serves as a support tool rather than a replacement for its human creative team. Despite a new executive hire focused on AI strategy, sources within the company state that AI is primarily used for administrative and production tasks, not for writing storylines.
Key Takeaways
- WWE's creative team has utilized AI tools for several years, mainly for simple data retrieval tasks.
- A new executive, Cyrus Kowsari, was hired to lead AI integration, but his focus is understood to be on production elements.
- Insiders report that AI is used for tasks like background noise removal and file organization, not storyline creation.
- The company has emphasized that AI will not replace key figures on the creative writing team.
Long-Term AI Integration in WWE's Workflow
Contrary to perceptions of a recent shift, WWE has incorporated artificial intelligence into its creative operations for years. According to a report from Fightful Select, the technology has functioned as a creative assistant for the writing team. Its application has been limited to practical, data-driven queries.
For example, writers might use an AI system to quickly determine the last time two specific wrestlers competed against each other. This streamlines the research process, allowing the creative team to maintain continuity and avoid repetitive matchups. The usage is reportedly brief, with no one on the team spending more than a few minutes at a time with the system.
AI as a Support System
In many industries, including entertainment, AI is first adopted as a tool to automate repetitive or time-consuming tasks. This includes data analysis, asset management, and content tagging. This approach allows organizations to enhance efficiency without altering the core human-driven creative process.
This limited application highlights WWE's current approach to AI: it is a tool for efficiency, not a source of creative inspiration. The system helps organize vast amounts of historical data, making it easier for writers to access information needed to build compelling and consistent narratives.
New Hire Sparks Questions About AI's Future Role
Speculation about an expanded role for AI at WWE intensified following a recent high-profile hire. In September, Cyrus Kowsari joined the company as the Senior Director of Creative Strategy. The Wrestling Observer Newsletter reported that WWE executive Triple H introduced Kowsari to the creative team as someone who would spearhead the company's move toward "AI-based storytelling."
This introduction also mentioned plans to integrate AI more deeply into creative services, including video production and graphics. The announcement naturally led to questions about whether WWE intended to automate aspects of its core narrative development.
Internal Perspectives on the New Strategy
However, the internal perception among the creative staff appears to differ from the initial announcement's framing. According to Fightful's follow-up report, the creative team does not believe Kowsari was brought in to develop AI-generated storylines. Instead, they understand his role is to find practical ways for AI to improve the production side of WWE programming.
Specific examples of these expected duties include using AI to:
- Automatically remove unwanted background noise from video shots.
- Organize and tag a massive library of digital files for quick access.
- Streamline various production elements for television shows like Raw and SmackDown.
This suggests Kowsari's work is focused on optimizing technical workflows, which would free up human talent to concentrate on their primary creative responsibilities.
AI in Media Production
The use of AI for production tasks is becoming standard in the media industry. Major film studios and broadcast companies use AI for automated video editing, color correction, audio enhancement, and creating highlight reels. WWE's focus aligns with these established industry trends.
Human Creativity Remains Central to WWE
Sources within WWE have been clear that AI is not poised to take over the writers' room. The company has explicitly communicated that the technology will not replace the creative writing team. The core of WWE's storytelling relies on the experience and vision of its veteran producers and writers.
This sentiment was captured in a direct statement from a prominent WWE star who emphasized the irreplaceable human element behind the company's success. The star noted that key creative leaders are fundamental to the process.
"Michael Hayes, Paul Heyman and Ed Koskey are not AI."
This quote underscores the value placed on the unique creative instincts and deep industry knowledge of individuals who have shaped WWE's product for decades. While AI can process data, it cannot replicate the nuanced understanding of character, audience emotion, and live performance that is essential to professional wrestling.
The Future of AI in Entertainment
WWE's current strategy reflects a broader trend in how creative industries are cautiously adopting AI. The focus is on augmentation, not replacement. By using AI to handle logistical and technical challenges, companies aim to empower their creative professionals to work more effectively.
For WWE, this means faster access to historical data, cleaner audio for broadcasts, and more efficient management of video assets. These improvements can enhance the quality of the final product without interfering with the human-led process of crafting rivalries, developing characters, and writing the week-to-week drama that engages its global fanbase.
As technology continues to evolve, its role may expand, but for now, the creative direction of WWE remains firmly in human hands. The strategy is to use AI as a powerful assistant, allowing the storytellers to focus on what they do best.