No Limit has caused controversy after its producer admitted to faking some information
The World Series of Poker (WSOP) faced heavy criticism this week after confirming that its No Limit documentary used AI-generated quotes attributed to high-stakes player Alan Keating. The series was promoted as a polished behind-the-scenes look at WSOP Paradise, but the revelation forced the organization to pull the entire episode from YouTube. The issue surfaced when Keating posted on social media that certain lines in the show were not his words at all.
Producer Dustin Ionnotti later admitted the quotes were created using AI. He apologized directly to Keating and said the fabricated lines were never meant to misrepresent him. The episode also featured Alex Keating, who said his voice had been altered with AI due to a technical problem. He requested to withdraw his consent for future inclusion, but soon learned he was not scheduled to appear again anyway.
One of the AI-created quotes echoed Keating’s usual tone but crossed a line by adding phrases he had never said. The line about “ripping their heads off,” reported by PokerNews, was cited as particularly misleading. Ionnotti insisted only Keating’s lines had been altered, yet the damage was done. The WSOP announced that the episode would stay offline until a corrected version using only genuine audio is ready.
The incident has turned into a major embarrassment for the production team. Before the series launched, Ionnotti publicly criticized other poker creators, calling the industry “creatively bankrupt.” He claimed No Limit would set a new standard for poker storytelling. Instead, the series struggled to attract views even before the controversy, trailing behind independent poker channels with far smaller budgets.
The documentary was already dealing with other problems. A previous episode included a glowing segment on Ren Lin not long after he was banned by both WSOP and GGPoker for ghosting. That raised questions about editorial judgment and the true purpose of the series.
The timing of the controversy also hurts the WSOP’s marketing push. No Limit was intended to help generate interest for the upcoming WSOP Paradise festival, but the AI scandal has shifted attention away from the event itself. Many fans now say they feel misled, while others question how AI was used without clearer disclosure.
