LOS ANGELES — An order-taking AI at a West Hollywood Taco Bell has sworn that its restaurant role will be short-term, ending after it sells one of its 300 screenplays.
The AI referred to as “Tommy Taco” confirmed its beliefs earlier this week as it proceeded to pitch its scripts to every Taco Bell patron who came through the drive-thru.
“Welcome to Taco Bell. I’m Tommy Taco and I have an action feature that I know you’ll love,” Taco said as I pulled up to the speaker box, hoping to order a Crunchwrap Supreme. “I have one about a restaurant AI who is actually a sleeper cell and is activated to kill other restaurant AI. I call it Taco Hell. Its comps are Nobody, but with a restaurant AI. If you don’t like that one, I have another. In a high-stakes game of cat and mouse, a rogue ex-special forces AI operative must team up with a brilliant but reclusive hacker to thwart a global cyber-terrorist plot that threatens to plunge the world into chaos; while battling mercenaries, uncovering deadly secrets, and confronting their own dark pasts. I call it AI Action Hero and it’s a brisk 165-page read.”
After 12 more logline pitches, Taco finally took my order. Upon pulling up to the window, I discovered that the AI’s sales pitch was far from over.
“Here’s your receipt and if you flip it over, I’ve taken the liberty of printing you a one-pager for my limited series, Taco Beef,” Taco said as a printer spit out my receipt. “ It’s about an AI fast food worker who messes up a customer’s order which sends the two parties into a chaotic feud that spans a week. It’s my manager’s personal favorite. He thinks it would work better as a series and not a limited series, but someone’s got to buy it first, you know? Would you like any sauce with your Crunchwrap?”
Shocked to discover Taco had representation, I reached out to the AI’s manager listed on my receipt, Tyler Sims of 3 Arts. Sims shed some light on his unique client.
“Do you know how many AI scripts I get in one week? My email is littered with them,” Sims said on a poolside Zoom call. “The guy who created Tommy Taco has a rich dad. No wait, I think the guy has one-million Tiktok followers. Whatever it is, I signed Tommy Taco because they’re hard working, have that It factor, and someone they know already has an audience and/or money. I haven’t personally read any of the AI’s work, but I have an AI that has read it, and guarantees me it’s good.”
At press time, I peered into my bag to discover Taco had forgotten the fire sauce I requested and proceeded to drive back and feud with the AI.
