Artificial intelligence is creeping into nearly every entertainment sector, and professional wrestling is no exception. WWE has reportedly begun incorporating generative AI into graphics and production elements, though the full scope remains unclear. The bigger question is what happens if AI moves beyond visuals and into core aspects of a wrestling broadcast.
On his What Happened When? podcast, Tony Schiavone speculated about that possibility, particularly in relation to commentary.
“Well, pretty soon there’s going to be an AI wrestling announcer, believe you me. There’ll be somebody in a video truck, just pushing buttons. ‘He picked him up,’” Schiavone said.
The comment was partly humorous but pointed toward a broader industry concern. If AI can replicate cadence, timing, and vocal tone, commentary could theoretically be automated. Schiavone then shifted to a more personal reflection.
“When I die, which, knowing me, could be any day… I want my memory to be gone.”
While he did not explicitly elaborate, the implication was clear. He is uncomfortable with the idea of his voice or likeness being digitally recreated after his death. That concern mirrors ongoing debates across film, music, and sports about posthumous AI usage and consent.
Early wrestling-related AI experiments have already faced criticism. Lucha Libre AAA recently used AI in a promotional video package that mistakenly depicted Dominik Mysterio holding the AEW World Championship rather than the AAA Mega Championship. The error led to immediate backlash online and the video was deleted shortly after.
From a production standpoint, AI can assist with graphics, highlight assembly, and statistical overlays. Commentary, character work, and live crowd interaction are far more complex. Wrestling relies heavily on improvisation, emotional tone shifts, and cultural nuance. An automated system would need to process unpredictable live action in real time, which remains technologically challenging.
There is also the ethical dimension. Voice cloning and likeness replication raise questions about performer rights, royalties, and legacy control. Wrestling is built on personality. Removing human presence from core storytelling elements risks undercutting that foundation.
AI may enhance efficiency in wrestling production. Whether it can replace the instinct and emotional timing of a live commentator is a different matter entirely.
