SNL Spoofs Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei With Dark AI Jokes
Saturday Night Live spoofed Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei in its latest episode, turning his warnings about AI safety into a dark comedy sketch.
Saturday Night Live turned Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei's warnings about artificial intelligence into dark comedy during its season 52 premiere. Cast member Jane Wickline portrayed Amodei during the Weekend Update segment hosted by Michael Che.
The sketch opens with the fictional Amodei discussing AI safety and the need for safeguards, but quickly turns absurd. Wickline's character struggles to answer questions about whether AI could harm humanity, even appearing to have two competing personalities — a media-trained version and a darker alter ego.
The spoof takes aim at concerns frequently discussed by AI executives and researchers. At one point, the fictional Amodei declares, "AI is the devil, and I its maker," before attempting to explain that major AI companies are aware of the risks surrounding the technology.
The sketch also jokes about predictions that AI could help solve major diseases. When asked about claims that AI could cure cancer, the fictional Amodei gives a deliberately alarming answer involving a 10% chance that cancer could stop being a problem.
The segment ends with the character repeatedly asking viewers to "urge me to stop", while describing AI as a tool that could also be used to build weapons.
The comedy comes as the real Amodei has publicly discussed potential AI risks and the need for safeguards, giving SNL plenty of material for its exaggerated portrayal.
