What Could Go Wrong?

De: Scott Z. Burns

Narrado por: Scott Z. Burns

Predicting a global pandemic in a hit movie was impressive. Writing a sequel that will work for today’s world might take a whole different kind of intelligence.

Join Scott Z. Burns, the acclaimed screenwriter of Contagion, as he embarks on a mind-bending quest to create a worthy follow-up to his eerily prophetic film. Reuniting with director Steven Soderbergh, members of the cast and crew, and the scientific experts who advised him on the first film, Burns also turns to an unexpected collaborator: artificial intelligence. But can AI predict the source of the next global pandemic—or at least help convince a Hollywood studio to buy your movie pitch? Down the rabbit hole we go, slipping deeper and deeper into the surreal and unknown to explore if human creativity and AI could join forces.

In this deeply thoughtful, occasionally frightening, and often hilarious behind-the-scenes series, Burns assembles an extraordinary collection of minds (both skeptics and optimists) across the world of academia, the sciences, journalism, and the entertainment industry to weigh in. But Burns' most intriguing collaborators? His ever-expanding cast of AI-generated partners led by the incomparable Lexter, Scott’s extraordinarily gifted, sharp-tongued writing partner and, well ... friend. As the adventure spirals into uncharted territory, one question looms large: In this brave new world of human-AI collaboration, what could possibly go wrong? Listen to find out.

©2025 Plan B Entertainment (P)2025 Audible Originals, LLC

surprising premise

a contagion emerging from a lab created molecule meant to cleanup plastics from the oceans was creative and inventive. Hope a movie does get made from this.

Fascinating

I loved the breadth and depth of Scott's exploration. Lots of omg moments! What if???

AI an Ethical Dilemma

This is an intriguing Audible series that blends speculative fiction with real-world concerns about artificial intelligence. The story follows a journalist interacting with an AI named Lexter, and all the ethical and moral issues that brings to mind.

Loved it!

Intelligent Thought provoking & highly entertaining can’t wait to learn if sequel is really to be made

A gripping portrayal of the dawning use of AI in the world of creative work

Only part way into this podcast and I am hooked! What a fascinating intersection of the dawn of AI and creative development. Highly recommended.

Babs. I need more angry Babs in my life! 🤣

An insider’s look at the battle lines between/amongst/emerging from the intersection of creative processes and AI. Thought provoking in ways I didn’t expect, funny in ways I never saw coming…and ultimately inevitable in ways we simply can’t prevent.

Well done Scott.

(No…I didn’t use an LLM to write this!)

John Phillip Souza

The famous composer (that I only originally knew about from The Music Man constantly said that music recordings would put bands and orchestras out of business since the music would readily be available for sale and anyone could own a copy—staying at home instead of going out to physically listen to music. Perhaps he had part of that right. But creating everything in a movie—the flawed bits of humanity, our shared foibles and gallows humor? That can only be accomplished by real humans. We’re surprising and unique and vulnerable and we understand that while two different people can play the same role—one in a movie and one on Broadway—the only way an actor can play a role in a book is in a writer’s imagination. You can try to get AI to understand us and mimic us, but AI is not us. Not even close.

Contagious interest

Fantastic dive into creativity & technology & where they intersect, overlap or morph into something new. With the pros & cons scaled for our examination. And no, this was not written by AI.... or was it?... jk, it wasn't... or wa-... (Insert infinite loop)

This was Fantastic

I recommend this as someone who didn’t really understand how AI could be used creatively.

Shockingly Good

I’ve listened to a lot about AI, but this is completely different. It shows instead of tells. And it’s also hilarious.