E-Waste

December 16, 2025, 11:08 AM EST. Saturday Night Live faced questions about whether it used an undeclared AI-generated image to illustrate a Colin Jost joke on Weekend Update. Deadline screenshots and Hive's AI detector suggested a 99.9% probability the image was produced by an AI tool, though NBCUniversal declined to comment. Critics argued such visuals undercut the joke and the tradition of quirks in SNL's photoshops, while supporters noted concerns about synthetic media in political satire. The controversy comes as NBCUniversal's policy on declaring AI in editorial content remains opaque, even as ads require prominent disclosure of synthetic media. The discussion echoes past SNL bits like the "AI Photos" skit and underscores the tension between humor, transparency, and the evolving role of AI in late-night comedy.