Oprah Winfrey Lines Up AI Heavy Hitters for ABC Special

Oprah Winfrey is delving into the realm of artificial intelligence.

Jenna Ortega Reveals She Deleted Twitter After Receiving Explicit AI Images of Herself as a Teen: "It's Disgusting"

Winfrey will host an ABC special titled AI and the Future of Us: An Oprah Winfrey Special on Sept. 12, in which she’ll talk to some leading figures in the artificial-intelligence space, including Microsoft founder Bill Gates and OpenAI head Sam Altman, as well as FBI Director Christopher Wray and a couple of skeptical voices.

The hourlong special is the second one Winfrey has hosted this year; in March, she led a discussion about weight loss and wellness tied to the rise of weight-loss drugs like Ozempic, Mounjaro and Wegovy.

In addition to Gates, Altman and Wray, the special will feature interviews with technologist and widely followed YouTube tech reviewer Marcus Brownlee; Tristan Harris and Aza Raskin, co-founders of the Center for Humane Technology who warn of the risks of AI growing too powerful, too fast; and author Marilynne Robinson, who “reflects on AI’s threat to human values and the ways in which humans might resist the convenience of AI,” per ABC’s description.

Would a Taylor Swift Endorsement Actually Impact the Presidential Race?

The goal of the hour, according to ABC, is to “provide a serious, entertaining and meaningful base for every viewer to understand AI, and empowers everyone to be a part of one of the most important global conversations of the 21st century.”

AI and the Future of Us is produced by Winfrey’s Harpo Productions. Winfrey and Josh Tyrangiel of Backstory Partners are the executive producers. A promo for the special is below.

Oprah, Spike Lee, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Lil Jon and More Stars at the 2024 DNC