‘I Saw Stephen Hawking Going Down on a Skateboard’: Cam Heyward Believes AI Is Not Being Used for the Good

Artificial intelligence (AI) has been flooding our lives more and more over the last few years. And no matter how much the billionaires who own these AI companies continue to push the idea that it is inevitable and will help the common man, those effects have yet to be seen. Even millionaires like Pittsburgh Steelers defensive tackle Cam Heyward are not seeing any benefits.

Young adults are seeing most of AI’s impact in the form of social media marketing and TV advertisements. That is not exactly where many hoped AI would help. Ideally, it would address existing problems in the health and science sectors or take over tedious tasks to free up humans for more creative pursuits. Instead, AI has begun encroaching on the very creative endeavors people value most.

And what has become known as “AI slop” (some sort of image or video created by AI and shared on social media) has flooded the internet over the last few years. And you’d be hard-pressed to find many people who are loving this direction AI is taking us (apart from those billionaires). Heyward certainly isn’t one of them if a recent rant on his podcast is anything to go by.

“I’d probably draw the line at the pictures. Me and my wife were looking through Instagram… and she’s showing me an Instagram reel where the dog chooses the owner, and I’m like, ‘Al, this is AI,'” Heyward said with a laugh, adding,

“You can tell in the voices, and then if you really look, if you look behind, it’s no face from anyone in the crowd. The scariest thing… I was like, ‘Babe, it’s not even real.’ You have to pay attention to everything that’s going around.”

Though Heyward’s co-host revealed that the Steelers’ four-time First-Team All-Pro uses ChatGPT more than he should, Heyward attempted to deny it. And it’s clear that overall, AI has not had a positive impact on Heyward’s life. He believes they are going too far with the AI videos. They are becoming too life-like. Especially those using the likenesses of already deceased people.

“They’re getting good. They had Biggie and 2pac in a WWE wrestling ring setting up a promo. And some of this stuff is just way too much. Like, Stephen Hawking going down on a skateboard. I can’t even watch, it’s just out of control. I don’t wanna laugh! I think it’s terrible,” Heyward said.

The videos may seem harmless. But as Heyward and his co-host said, Hawking’s family in particular was extremely offended by the use of their beloved family member’s likeness for something so crass.

Heyward thought that AI was supposed to be something that would do good for society rather than something that would steal his own likeness in the future.

“What happened to AI being used for the good? This is taking it way too far. And I’m pretty sure they’re gonna make some AI out of me or something and go too far. But, yeah, pretty crazy.”

Heyward’s Steelers have a crucial matchup with the Detroit Lions on the road this week. Pittsburgh fans will be hoping he’s not taking any ChatGPT shortcuts on his prep.