The king.
“Weird Al” Yankovic has revealed he turned down a lucrative commercial deal after discovering it involved artificial intelligence.
The parody legend initially accepted the offer for what he believed was standard business software designed to boost productivity.
However, just one week before shooting, Yankovic learned the product was AI-powered, prompting an immediate withdrawal.
“I can’t be the poster boy for AI, forget it,” he told syracuse.com, admitting he felt bad about the last-minute pullout but standing firmly by his decision.
The musician has joined a growing chorus of artists speaking out against the technology, expressing particular disdain for AI-generated parody songs.
Yankovic’s stance aligns with recent criticism from Jack Antonoff, who labelled AI music optimisers “godless whores,” and Billy Corgan, who likened using AI to a “deal with the devil.”
The ‘Bigger & Weirder Tour’ continues through October, but fans won’t be seeing any AI-assisted performances; Yankovic prefers his parodies authentically weird.
