The Game Awards and Summer Game Fest Host Geoff Keighley Under Fire for Controversial AI Tweet

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and its related technologies have become a controversial topic, especially amid the ongoing strikes in Hollywood. Geoff Keighley, a journalist and host of The Game Awards and Summer Game Fest, recently posted a tweet promoting AI technology, which received backlash from artists, writers, and fans on social media.

Keighley’s tweet promoted Runway Gen-2, an AI technology that can turn images into videos, as reported by Exputer. However, this comes at a sensitive time when artists and writers worldwide are protesting against AI companies. Many of these AI applications use databases built on existing content created by human creativity without the artists’ consent, leading to concerns about plagiarism and appropriation. On the other hand, Runway Gen-2 claims to be “building for the next era of art, entertainment, and human creativity.”

It’s understandable why Geoff Keighley’s tweet sparked controversy on social media. A senior character artist at Blizzard for Overwatch 2 called the tweet “tone-deaf” and expressed concerns about the message it sends to peers. He highlighted that celebrating AI tools that may disempower artists, insult their work, and rely on stolen content can be hurtful. In response to the backlash, Keighley deleted the tweet and has not commented further on the situation.