Pete Davidson’s AI Defense is Unintentional Comedy Gold

Pete Davidson is one of the most polarizing figures in contemporary comedy, but even his many rabid haters can’t help but laugh at the joke that is his newest project.

The high-profile Saturday Night Live alumnus and serial celebrity boyfriend recently wrapped filming on the upcoming movie Bitcoin, a dramatization of the story behind the creation of the titular cryptocurrency. Despite admitting to knowing little about the science or economics of blockchain-based financial products, in Bitcoin, Davidson plays the role of Calvin Ayre, a real-life crypto and gambling magnate who, notably, serves as a producer on the film. 

If that synopsis wasn’t ridiculous enough to at least get a sharp exhale out of your nose, then here’s a few more whoppers about Bitcoin – one of Davidson’s co-stars in the film is supermodel and attempted actress Gal Gadot, and the tech-savvy producers of the project elected to heavily utilize generative artificial intelligence tools to create the sets, locations, backgrounds and lighting of the film.

The use of AI to replace what would otherwise be paid human labor is a contentious topic in the film community, but the A-list stars of Bitcoin are unbothered by any ethical concerns surrounding their latest paycheck. Gadot defended her participation in Bitcoin by revealing that her lawyers spent six months pouring through her contract to make sure that AI wouldn’t affect her job, and, in a new interview with Variety, Davidson claimed that using AI was the fiscally responsible choice for his $70 million movie about fake money beloved exclusively by gambling addicts: