Breaking Bad Creator Vince Gilligan Takes Stand Against AI with 'Made by Humans' Credit in New Apple TV Show

Anti-AI Stance Takes Center Stage

Vince Gilligan, the acclaimed creator behind "Breaking Bad" and "Better Call Saul," has made headlines not just for his new Apple TV+ series "Pluribus," but for an unusual disclaimer in its end credits: "This show was made by humans." 1

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The message, positioned alongside standard production notes about animal safety, represents a deliberate statement against the growing use of artificial intelligence in entertainment production.

The disclaimer reflects Gilligan's strong opposition to AI technology in creative industries. In interviews, he has been unequivocally vocal about his position, declaring flatly, "I hate AI." 1

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His criticism extends beyond mere preference, characterizing the technology as "the world's most expensive and energy-intensive plagiarism machine" and comparing AI-generated content to "a cow chewing its cud -- an endlessly regurgitated loop of nonsense." 1

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Silicon Valley Critique and Industry Concerns

Gilligan's criticism targets what he sees as profit-driven motives behind AI development. He describes the technology as being pushed by "Silicon Valley assholes" and "a bunch of centibillionaires whose greatest life goal is to become the world's first trillionaires," calling their promises "a bag of vapor." 2

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His concerns align with broader industry fears about AI's impact on creative jobs and human artistry.

The showrunner argues that AI technology appears designed "to take work away, creativity away, creative endeavor away from human beings." 3

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While acknowledging that new technologies typically aim to improve the world, Gilligan expresses skepticism about AI's potential benefits, stating he doesn't "see how it will make the world a better place." 3

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Philosophical and Ethical Implications

Beyond immediate industry concerns, Gilligan raises deeper philosophical questions about AI development. He warns about potential ethical issues if AI achieves true sentience, asking whether companies like Meta and OpenAI would essentially be creating "digital slaves to monetize." 2

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This concern extends to a provocative comparison: "If AI ever becomes truly conscious, we'll have to revisit the entire conversation about slavery." 4

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His position includes humorous analogies to illustrate his point about AI's limitations in creativity. Gilligan compared AI to kitchen appliances, saying, "My toaster oven isn't suddenly Thomas Keller just because it heats a pizza." 4

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This reflects his belief that AI cannot replicate genuine human creativity and storytelling.

Show Context and Industry Response

"Pluribus" itself is Gilligan's return to science fiction, reuniting him with "Better Call Saul" co-star Rhea Seehorn in a story about alien invasion. 1

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While some viewers have speculated whether the show serves as a metaphor for AI, Gilligan clarified that he conceived and wrote the series before AI and large language models gained recent prominence. 2

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The show has achieved critical success, earning a perfect 100% "Certified Fresh" score on Rotten Tomatoes. 4

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Gilligan's "made by humans" credit could serve as a model for other filmmakers seeking to distinguish their work from AI-generated content, as the entertainment industry grapples with questions about technology's role in creative production.