Hacks Star Hannah Einbinder Did Not Hold Back About AI (And It's Hilarious)

If you're like me, you're beyond annoyed with "AI optimization" shoved into every aspect of your daily life. I do not need AI to write the email I'm sending back to my mechanic, and under no circumstances will I ever want to watch a clip of a poreless nightmare "actor" in an AI-generated "movie." The way that AI has infiltrated the entertainment industry is especially egregious. AI can never be depressed or horny, so it will never be capable of crafting true art. The fact that billionaire executives can't seem to understand this will continue to infuriate, but at least creatives are fighting back by incorporating anti-AI sentiment into their storylines.

The Emmy Award-winning HBO Max comedy "Hacks" is gearing up for its fifth and final season, and as the cast and creative team expressed during a press conference I attended, they couldn't ignore the way AI has completely overtaken the zeitgeist. "There's this massive push by tech to optimize every part of our lives," said "Hacks" co-creator Jen Statsky. "And to what cost? Like, at what point, how far are we willing to go?" Statsky rightfully continued, saying "the struggle is part of it," recognizing that the grind in the creative process is what makes art good and human.

"Hacks" is a show about exactly that, with the personal and professional struggles of two comedians — Deborah Vance (Jean Smart) and Ava Daniels (Hannah Einbinder) — at different stages of their lives serving as the driving force behind each season. AI simply could never understand what makes this show so brilliant, because it will never know what it feels like to face systemic hurdles. But star Hannah Einbinder was a bit more blunt, going so far as to call those who embrace generative AI as uncreative losers. And she's right.

Jen Statsky had no qualms admitting that the push to make things "easier" doesn't benefit art or storytelling, and will only benefit the people who can make money off of it. "I wish that I believed that it was in better hands, but I don't," she said. "And until there's guardrails put on, until there is some stoppage mechanism to make sure that we are protecting the humanity both in art and people's livelihoods, it ain't good."

But it was Hannah Einbinder, who famously ended her Emmy acceptance speech for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series by saying, "Go Birds, F*** ICE, Free Palestine," who went for the jugular when it comes to AI. "The people who make this stuff are losers," she said. "They're not artists. They're not creative. And they've wanted their whole lives to be special. And they're not special." She continued:

"They're trying to rob real creative people of our gifts. And you can't. And even if you try, you will never be cool. You guys suck. No one likes you. Anyone who's near you is because they crave power and access over any ethical standard. You are a loser. You will never be cool. And you probably had a rolly backpack in high school. I wanna put your head in the toilet and flush."

Hit 'em again, Einbinder. Here, I'll even give you the baseball bat I keep by my door to assist. At least someone out there is brave enough to say what the rest of us are thinking.

"Hacks" season 5 arrives on HBO Max on April 9, 2026.