The comedy roast of the century

If you've felt like the current AI obsession is a little unhinged, you’re not alone. Comedians are officially entering their "roast the robots" era, using standup, viral videos, and even street art to push back against the big tech narrative that AI is our new, inevitable overlord.

It’s giving major "we see through you" energy. While tech CEOs are out here talking about changing the fabric of humanity—and occasionally hinting that their tech might actually be our demise—comedians are busy exposing the absurdity of it all.

Why it’s hitting different

Real talk: people are lowkey tired of the tech hype. Recent polling, including a CNN survey, shows 81% of Americans feel more concerned than excited about how AI is shifting our lives. Comedians are channeling that collective skepticism into content that actually sticks.

Take software engineer-turned-creator Alberta Devor, who mocks our reliance on LLMs for basic thinking. In a viral clip, she pretends to have an "AI model" in her head by simply... reading books and using her brain. It’s a total mood. Other creators like Ty Eveland are trolling those awkward, overly-earnest AI interview bots, while Aya Huseen perfectly captures the "you sure you don’t want to try it with AI?" pressure we see from apps today.

Not just for the internet

It’s not all just scrolling, either. Comedians Harris Alterman and Dave Ross recently took over the New York subway with fake, hilarious tech ads—think "What if forks were spoons?"—that mimic the insufferable, jargon-filled billboards you see in San Francisco.

So, what can you actually do?

  • Keep your brain trained: As Devor suggests, don’t outsource your critical thinking to a bot every time you have a question.
  • Question the "innovation": If a product is trying to force AI into places it clearly doesn't need to be (like your cereal recipe), it’s okay to say "no thanks."
  • Spot the hype: If a company’s marketing sounds like a Mad Libs puzzle of buzzwords like "agents" and "democratize," it’s probably a huge L.

Why it matters

Serious lectures about tech ethics can be a total snooze, but comedy is actually breaking through the noise. By mocking the "AI-will-fix-everything" narrative, these humorists are making it easier for all of us to call out the BS and remember that humans, not bots, are still the main characters of our own lives.