Backlash online to alleged use of AI during WWE NXT this week

WWE AI Slop Sol Ruca

TKO president Mark Shapiro recently revealed that WWE has been using AI as part of the creative process, with Shapiro noting that “Nick Khan and Triple H are using AI for storylines with the WWE.” Whilst that has already caused issues for a number of fans worried about the introduction of storyline slop onto their television screens, we’re now seemingly starting to see even more AI being used for actual vignettes and video production.

There was some fairly clear signs of AI use in a El Grande Americano promo last year, but that could be somewhat chalked off as being part of the storyline, because the character’s backstory is fake and they were trying to make out like he was some sort of Lucha legend.

WWE NXT AI use

The latest example of WWE being accused of using AI took place on NXT this week, with a promo video for Sol Ruca and Zaria being arguably the most egregious use case yet. You can see the video via the X post below, and there are a number of fairly obvious tells when it comes to assuming this was an AI generated piece of content. The uncanny valley nature of the close-ups of both Sol Ruca and Zaria is the biggest one though, with the AI generation clearly trying to replicate their likeness but not quite getting it 100%. In fact with Sol she looks nothing like her real-life counterpart.

There will be a point in the future were we probably won’t be able to tell the difference between reality and an AI generated video, but right now WWE are getting a ton of backlash online from fans who feel like they’re already trying to “shove AI” in their faces.

Jake Skudder
Jake Skudder

Jake is an SEO-minded Football, Combat Sports, Gaming and Pro Wrestling writer, successful Editor in Chief, Sports SEO Coordinator for NationalWorld and SEO Writer for F4Wonline.com. He has more than ten years of experience covering mixed martial arts, pro wrestling, football and gaming across a number of publications, starting at SEScoops in 2012 under the name Jake Jeremy. His work has also been featured on Wrestling Headlines, Wrestlingnewsco, HotNewHipHop, The Hard Times and Sportskeeda.

Previously, he worked as the Editor in Chief of 24Wrestling, building the site profile with a view to selling the domain, which was accomplished in 2019. Jake was previously the Editor in Chief for FightFans, a combat sports and pro wrestling site that was launched in January 2021 and broke into millions of pageviews within the first two years. He previously worked for Snack Media and their GiveMeSport site, creating Evergreen and Trending content that would deliver pageviews via Google as the UFC and MMA SEO Lead. Jake managed to take an area of GiveMeSport that had zero traction on Organic and push it to audiences across the globe. Jake also has a record of long-term video and written interview content with the likes of the Professional Fighters League, ONE and Cage Warriors, working directly with the brands to promote bouts, fighters and special events.

He previously worked for the (then) biggest independent wrestling company in the UK, PROGRESS Wrestling, as PR Head and Head of Media across the social channels of the company.