WWE hires AI storytelling director despite failed writing experiments

WWE has appointed Cyrus Kowsari as senior director of creative strategy to lead the company’s transition to AI-based storytelling, marking a significant shift for the entertainment giant. The move comes as WWE’s new chief creative officer, Triple H, describes AI integration as an “inevitable shift” in wrestling entertainment, despite previous AI writing experiments that failed to understand wrestling storylines.

What you should know: WWE has already conducted two unsuccessful AI writing experiments before bringing Kowsari on board.

• The first system was scrapped after it “couldn’t understand wrestling storylines,” according to Wrestling Observer reports.
• A second partnership with Writer AI, a content generation platform, was fed human-written WWE scripts but struggled with wrestling’s complex fictional universe, known as “kayfabe.”
• The AI system recently “pitched a storyline where Bobby Lashley, who I guess AI thought was still with the company, could come back as a wrestler who was obsessed with Japanese culture and history.”

Kowsari’s dual role: Beyond overseeing AI storytelling integration, Kowsari will serve as WWE’s White House liaison, mirroring Triple H’s appointment to President Trump’s Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition.

• In September creative meetings, Triple H introduced Kowsari as someone who would “lead WWE’s transition into AI-based storytelling and integrate AI into creative services like video and graphics.”
• The role encompasses both narrative development and technical production elements like video editing and graphic design.

The big picture: WWE’s push toward AI-generated storylines represents a fundamental shift away from the human creativity that has defined professional wrestling’s most memorable moments.

• Wrestling has traditionally relied on skilled writers crafting soap opera-like narratives that can adapt to real-time audience reactions and unexpected injuries.
• Iconic WWE moments like Steve Austin’s Stone Cold Stunner on CEO Vince McMahon or Hulk Hogan driving a semi truck into an ambulance carrying The Rock emerged from human creative spontaneity.

What they’re saying: According to Wrestling Observer, industry insiders remain optimistic about AI’s eventual impact despite current limitations.

• “The feeling is once bugs are worked out that AI will begin to have major impact on storyline direction,” the report stated.

Why this matters: WWE’s AI integration reflects a broader trend of entertainment companies experimenting with artificial intelligence for creative content, though wrestling’s unique blend of scripted drama and real-time improvisation presents particular challenges for algorithmic storytelling.