Audible and Plan B Entertainment Announce “What Could Go Wrong?”
Audible today announced What Could Go Wrong?, a groundbreaking and engrossing eight-part Audible Original podcast from acclaimed screenwriter Scott Z. Burns (Contagion, The Bourne Ultimatum). This genre-bending series produced by Plan B Entertainment and Best Case Studios follows Burns' journey as he sets out to determine if and how a potential sequel to the blockbuster film Contagion – in high demand from fans – can be made with artificial intelligence. Blending personal narrative, professional industry expertise, and his own experiments using rapidly evolving technology, Burns’ quest ultimately evolves into an exploration of the possibilities and pitfalls of AI, especially when it comes to creative work. What Could Go Wrong? is set to premiere from Audible on Wednesday, June 11.
Initially inspired by his hit film’s renewed popularity during the COVID-19 pandemic and desperate to overcome his creative doubts, Burns poses the question to a generative AI chatbot ‘Lexter’: “should I write a sequel to Contagion?” and if so, how? The answer provided by Lexter–who is programmed to converse as a bright, witty, and mysterious former film critic–stuns Burns as a seemingly original idea. In trying to reconcile the possibility of an AI-generated character having an original thought, an intrigued Burns goes down the rabbit hole.
Consulting with epidemiologists and leading technology experts, reuniting with entertainment and media peers, and engaging in regular conversations with Lexter, Burns dives into artistic process, the very real threat of the next pandemic, and the profound questions surrounding what it means to use artificial intelligence to try to solve complex problems. Throughout the exploration, this Audible Original tackles prevalent issues surrounding AI in entertainment, including creative rights, job displacement, and the future of storytelling.
What Could Go Wrong? features a range of interviews and conversations with entertainment luminaries including Steven Soderbergh, Jennifer Ehle, Nick Bilton, Matt Belloni, Sarah Nolen, Cliff Martinez, and Ted Hope and Kevin Drew of Broken Social Scene; tech and AI experts Joanne Jang, and Meredith Whittaker; leading scientists including epidemiologists Dr. Larry Brilliant, Dr. Ian Lipkin, Dr. Michael Osterholm, Dr. Shanna Swan, and science journalist Laurie Garrett; and many others across the worlds of science, journalism, music, Hollywood and beyond.
Scott Z. Burns said, “When I started this project I truly did not know where it would lead…I only knew where I was starting from. And sometimes that is enough for a screenwriter. I could have never anticipated where this would go and who I would meet along the way: both Man and machine. The implications here are staggering both for the health of our industry and for the stakes of the next pandemic. I am so grateful for the trust and patience that Best Case, Plan B and Audible have shown on this journey. It has been an honor.”
"What Could Go Wrong? is a prime example of the thought-provoking, boundary-pushing audio content we strive to create at Audible," said Kate Navin, Audible's Head of Creative Development, North America. "With Scott, Plan B, and Best Case Studios as our incredible storytelling partners, the podcast draws from their deep film industry expertise and invites listeners to consider complex issues through a unique and often humorous lens, challenging perspectives and sparking meaningful conversation."
What Could Go Wrong? joins Audible's diverse slate of nonfiction podcast series including Ronan Farrow’s Not a Very Good Murderer, Leon Neyfakh and Prologue Projects’ Think Twice: Michael Jackson and the Backfired series, Jon Ronson’s The Debutante, and more. The project comes from Audible’s exclusive, multi-project development deal with Plan B Entertainment, the Oscar and Emmy-winning production company helmed by Brad Pitt, Dede Gardner and Jeremy Kleiner, and joins titles from development deals with other top industry creatives such as President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama’s Higher Ground, Kerry Washington’s Simpson Street, Daniel Dae Kim’s 3AD Productions, Lorne Michaels’ Broadway Video Enterprises, and James Patterson Entertainment.
