United KingdomMedia and entertainment2024BBC
Generative AI copy for Doctor Who promotions
The BBC ended its Doctor Who AI promotion trial after audience complaints
Problem
The BBC wanted to test alternative promotional wording across digital channels. Its planned experiment used generative AI to suggest variations on human-written copy, with marketing staff approving the results.
Approach
In March 2024, the BBC disclosed a trial involving Doctor Who promotions. Its subsequent complaints response confirmed that AI had helped draft text for two promotional emails and mobile notifications. Following audience complaints, it said it had no plans to repeat the use for Doctor Who. The BBC said the material had followed editorial compliance procedures and received human verification before delivery.
Results
Takeaway
Human approval of the copy did not resolve audience objections to using generative AI for this programme. The BBC stopped the trial without reporting a factual error in the promotional text.
Categories
- Size
- Large enterprise
- Industry
- Media and entertainment
- Business function
- Marketing and sales
- Innovation type
- Process innovation
- AI technology
- Generative AI
- Adoption
- Off-the-shelf tool or platform
- Evidence
- Press reporting
Sources
Source summaries
The Register reproduced the BBC's original plan for testing promotional copy variations and its response to complaints. The response confirmed two emails, mobile notifications, human approval and no plans to repeat the use for Doctor Who.
The report described the trial's termination following viewer complaints. It also reported the BBC's explanation that its marketing team had checked and approved the final content.
Full details are in the original sources.
