Pete Davidson’s AI Film Defense and Influencer Critique Draw Online Pushback

Pete Davidson’s latest interview put several arguments about celebrity culture in one place: where privacy ends when a relationship becomes public, who gets to criticize creators, and what AI should do on a film set. The comedian addressed those topics in a Variety cover story and companion videos published Sept. 30. His remarks quickly drew both agreement and resistance online.

The most practical part of the conversation concerned Bitcoin, an upcoming thriller directed by Doug Liman. Davidson described a production that used AI for locations and lighting, while keeping human performers and a full crew. That distinction matters: it frames the technology as a way to create settings without extensive travel, rather than a replacement for actors. But the cost figures in the coverage don’t line up cleanly, and the use of generated environments remains a sticking point for viewers.

What the film used AI to do

Davidson said the production was trying to make what he called a “$250 million movie.” TheWrap reported that the film actually cost $70 million. The source of the difference between those figures isn’t explained in the available account, so the larger number shouldn’t be treated as the film’s confirmed budget.

What is clear is the reported use: AI helped create settings and lighting, reducing the need to travel to locations. Davidson said the production still used a full crew and extras, and that the performances weren’t generated or altered by AI. For filmmakers, that points to a specific production tradeoff. Digital environments can reduce location work, but they also raise questions about how those environments look, how much control a director has over them, and whether audiences accept the result.

Some viewers objected to the approach outright. One called the film unappealing, while another said AI’s involvement was enough to rule out seeing a movie starring Davidson and Gal Gadot. The online reaction doesn’t establish how the finished film will look, but it shows that cost and travel savings may not settle the audience question. The useful test will be whether the generated settings serve the story and feel convincing on screen.

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Celebrity relationships and the cost of scrutiny

Davidson also revisited his relationship with Kim Kardashian. The two began dating after sharing a kiss in an October 2021 Saturday Night Live sketch, while Kardashian was divorcing Ye, formerly known as Kanye West. They split in August 2022. Davidson said there was still affection between them and joked that men who have dated Kardashians were “the few and the proud.”

He said Kardashian respected his boundaries, but the attention and security surrounding the relationship became overwhelming as he dealt with mental health and substance use issues. Some commenters read his account as self-pity. One response, linked on X, argued that nobody had forced him to date her. Other posts were unavailable when the source was published:

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The sharper part of Davidson’s account concerned Ye’s conduct in 2022. Ye targeted him on Instagram and released an “Eazy” video depicting a clay figure of Davidson being kidnapped and beheaded, as the Los Angeles Times reported. Davidson said the attacks hit especially hard because he had spoken openly about his mental health. He also joked that he had “cleared the path” for Kardashian to date again.

Even while describing that experience, Davidson expressed sympathy for Ye, referring to his loss of a parent and mental health struggles. He speculated that Ye was pushing people away and said he doubted Ye truly felt the hostility he had expressed. That mix of criticism and compassion complicates the simple roles often assigned to celebrity stories: Davidson described real harm while still leaving room for empathy.

He spoke warmly about Ariana Grande, whom he dated and was briefly engaged to in 2018. Davidson called her talented and said they were on good terms, though they weren’t in regular contact. Asked about scrutiny of her appearance, he condemned the commentary and said he had seen her handle difficult situations. The topic has also prompted discussion about how that scrutiny is framed; one related piece argues that the conversation about Grande’s appearance has gone in the wrong direction.

Davidson joked that he and Jake Gyllenhaal could use a support group for men associated with breakup songs. Gyllenhaal is widely thought to have inspired Taylor Swift’s “All Too Well.” The joke folds celebrity breakup lore into a wider point: once private relationships become public material, everyone involved can remain part of the story long after the relationship ends.

For background on Davidson’s departure from Saturday Night Live, see his account of leaving the show. The interview also lands amid renewed attention to Kardashian, including her comments about using ChatGPT while preparing for law exams.

Creator culture becomes the flashpoint

In Variety’s “Ask a Local” video, Davidson mocked “get ready with me” clips and TikTok dances. He questioned what some creators contribute and claimed that creators make “$40 million a year,” without naming anyone or providing a basis for the figure. The broad claim is difficult to assess from the interview alone, but the response focused less on the number than on who was making the criticism.

Creators pushed back on the idea that filming for a phone is fundamentally different from performing for television. Hayley Kalil made that comparison directly. Claudia Oshry, known online as @girlwithnojob, questioned the apparent double standard in a comment on Variety’s Instagram post. Dancer Oti Mabuse pointed to Davidson’s past relationship with one of the world’s most famous creators, while @wellwithraele argued that the criticism might land differently if the creator industry were dominated by men.

Others agreed with Davidson. One commenter said he had voiced what many people think; another called it “the right message, wrong messenger.” The disagreement gets at the real tension: creator work can look effortless from the outside, but visibility and income aren’t proof that the work has no value. At the same time, the source gives no evidence for Davidson’s earnings claim or the generalization about creators’ pay.

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Davidson’s interview is less a single position than a set of tensions: privacy and fame, empathy and accountability, creative work and the tools used to make it. For Bitcoin, the concrete question is whether AI-generated settings can save production effort while still earning the audience’s trust. The film’s finished images will answer that more clearly than the debate around its production.