Hollywood’s taking over YouTube: Robert Downey Jr heads there to talk AI

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From The Avengers to AI

He may have caused AI havoc in Avengers: Age of Ultron, creating a monster out of artificial intelligence that nearly caused the destruction of the world, but that hasn't put Robert Downey Jr off from fronting a new YouTube series on the subject matter. 

YouTube has announced that, as part of its YouTube Red original programming, Downey Jnr will host and narrate an eight-part documentary series that will be executive produced by Robert Downey Jr and Susan Downey. Derik Murray and Paul Gertz, of Network Entertainment will be producing the show.

Speaking about the series, Susan Downey said, “Robert and I share a curiosity for AI, a complicated and often polarizing subject. Our aim is to explore AI through a lens of objectivity and accessibility, in a thoroughly bold, splashy, and entertaining way.”

The series will air on YouTube Red, the service's premium arm that's currently only available in United States, Australia, Mexico, New Zealand, and South Korea. 

If YouTube uses Hulu’s method of distribution, though, then it's likely another channel will snap it up in other countries, much like Channel 4 did in the UK with The Handmaid's Tale.

AI-on Man

The announcement comes at a good time for YouTube Red which is celebrating thanks recent hit, Cobra Kai - an offshoot of the Karate Kid series. 

According to data by Parrot Analytics, this show outperformed anything on Netflix and Hulu in its debut week and earned itself a second series in the process.

Downey Jr’s appearance also marks the start of what's said to be a push by YouTube to get Hollywood stars on its platform, rather than relying on homemade YouTube stars. 

On the good ol’ regular YouTube, stars such as Will Smith, Priyanka Chopra and LeBron James are hosting videos and this trend is set to continue, at least until the controversy surrounding the likes of PewDePie and Logan Paul die down.

Downey Jnr's yet-untitled AI docu-series is set to premiere in 2019.

Via Variety

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Marc Chacksfield
Marc Chacksfield

Marc Chacksfield is the Editor In Chief, Shortlist.com at DC Thomson. He started out life as a movie writer for numerous (now defunct) magazines and soon found himself online - editing a gaggle of gadget sites, including TechRadar, Digital Camera World and Tom's Guide UK. At Shortlist you'll find him mostly writing about movies and tech, so no change there then.