John Mulaney Roasts the AI Industry

Live at the World’s Largest AI Event

 

 

 

 

Comedian John Mulaney delivered a brutal roast of the AI industry at Salesforce’s Dreamforce event, mocking everything from chatbots to tech ego. Here’s what happened.

When Salesforce invited comedian John Mulaney to perform at their Dreamforce event touted as the largest AI gathering in the world with over 45,000 attendees they probably didn’t expect a comedy roast. But Mulaney delivered exactly that, holding nothing back as he tore into tech culture, artificial intelligence, and corporate hypocrisy.

A Comedy Set Turned Reality Check

Mulaney used his 45-minute set to mock what he saw as the absurdity of the AI industry’s self-importance. From the very start, he addressed the audience with biting sarcasm.

“So many of you feel imminently replaceable,” he deadpanned, to a stunned room of executives and tech enthusiasts.

He didn’t stop there. Mulaney ridiculed the industry’s overconfidence in AI chatbots that still give inaccurate answers, offer flawed medical advice, and hallucinate facts all while claiming to “change the world.”

Mocking the AI Delusion

“Can AI sit there in a fleece vest?” he joked. “Can AI not attend events and instead spend all day at a bar?”

With every line, Mulaney emphasized the disconnect between human life and tech ambitions. He questioned how an event dedicated to the future of artificial intelligence could take place in San Francisco, a city still grappling with violence, homelessness, and a devastating opioid crisis.

“Let me get this straight,” he said. “You’re hosting a ‘future of AI’ event in a city that has failed humanity so miserably?”

Taking Aim at Silicon Valley Ego

Beyond the tech, Mulaney took shots at the self-congratulatory culture of the event itself.

“Some of the vaguest language ever devised has been used here in the last three days,” he quipped. “The fact that there are 45,000 ‘trailblazers’ here couldn’t devalue the title anymore.”

He mocked the buzzwords, empty slogans, and meaningless titles that the industry throws around. His jokes hit hard because they reflected a growing skepticism even among insiders about the real value AI offers versus the hype it generates.

AI’s Impact on Real Life and Parenting

Switching gears, Mulaney reflected on the effect AI might have on his own child’s future.

“Thank you for ensuring my son will never speak to a real person again,” he said, poking fun at how chatbots have infiltrated everyday interactions.

He went on to describe his son’s likely experience growing up talking to cartoonish digital assistants that give half-baked answers and pass him along to more bots.

“A little cartoon Einstein will pop up, give him a sort of good answer, and probably refer him to another chatbot.”

A Final Punchline for the Tech Crowd

Mulaney closed with a joke that summed up the entire Dreamforce experience:

“We’re just two guys hitting Wiffle balls badly and yelling ‘Good job’ at each other,” he said of himself and his son. “It’s sort of the same energy here at Dreamforce.”

By the end of his set, the message was clear: AI might be the future, but it’s no substitute for human truth, humor, or connection.

 

 

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