Twitch CEO Dan Clancy on how live streaming services are stopping AI from taking ‘humans out of the equation’

Amazon-owned live-streaming company Twitch's CEO, Dan Clancy, believes that its services are more human-centric in this age of artificial intelligence (AI). Speaking at the Fortune Brainstorm Tech conference in Aspen, he said, “AI is trying to take humans out of the equation, and live is one of the formats that keeps humans at the centre. You connect with people. You can understand them. You can see who they are.”Clancy made the remarks during a discussion on the future of online communities and digital engagement, arguing that livestreaming platforms offer forms of interaction that differ from those on traditional social media feeds. He said real-time participation creates a sense of connection that users increasingly seek in an online environment shaped by algorithms and AI-driven content.“Social media has become antisocial. Sitting and swiping doesn’t make you feel connected to other people. If you think of real-world communities—churches, running clubs—it all comes from shared experiences in real time,” Clancy added.Twitch and livestream shopping platform Whatnot, whose CEO Grant LaFontaine shared the stage with Clancy, have both built businesses around live interactions between creators, sellers and viewers. The executives said real-time engagement remains central to how their platforms operate and to how users interact with online communities.

Twitch CEO says AI can assist creators and not replace them

While concerns around AI-generated content continue to grow across the technology industry, both executives said they do not see AI replacing the human creators who drive activity on their platforms.

LaFontaine said AI could help sellers create content or stay connected with audiences when they are not actively streaming. Clancy similarly described AI as a tool that can assist creators rather than replace them, saying it could help people "access their creativity" by making content production easier. The executives also said that data scraping by AI companies has not emerged as a major challenge for their businesses.Clancy's comments come as livestreaming platforms continue to attract large audiences. Twitch has an estimated 35 million daily active users, while Whatnot has said it draws several million daily active users. Whatnot recorded $8 billion in sales last year across categories including trading cards, sports cards, women's fashion and sneakers.Responding to questions about whether livestreaming platforms themselves risk becoming addictive, LaFontaine said Whatnot focuses on building long-term relationships with customers rather than encouraging short-term engagement.

He added that the platform provides tools that allow users to set limits, though he did not elaborate on how those controls work.In addition, there was talk of Twitch’s role within Amazon. Clancy rejected speculation that Amazon could sell the platform, saying Twitch's growth was closely linked to Amazon's acquisition of the company in 2014.He said Twitch's appeal can be difficult for non-active users to understand because much of its value comes from the communities and interactions that develop around live content.