AI is the butt of the joke
Stand-up comedians report that audiences have a strong preference for jokes that mock artificial intelligence, viewing it as a safe and relatable target. This trend has even influenced viral marketing campaigns that satirize the environmental and social impacts of data centers.
Why it matters
The trend reflects broader public anxiety and skepticism regarding the rapid integration of AI into daily life and its resource consumption.
Comedians said audiences have one rule about AI jokes: You have to make fun of the tech. Getty Images; Tyler Le/BI BI spoke to stand-up comedians who joke about AI. They all reported one core rule from their audiences: you must make fun of AI. It's funny because it's everywhere, they said. It's not a good joke writer, though. Comedian Sabrina Jalees tells Business Insider she's been peeing her whole life. Recently, she wondered if that could be an economic opportunity. "I feel like within my soul is a long lineage of people that belong on 'Shark Tank,' whether they're securing the deal or not," she said. After hearing that data centers were draining some freshwater reserves , she found her pitch to the sharks: "Why can't we use our piss?" Her "why-don't-we-pee-on-data-centers" business proposal never reached Barbara Corcoran or Kevin O'Leary.
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