Speaking to PEDESTRIAN.TV at Nine's 2027 Upfront, Scott Cam, Shelley Craft, Shaynna Blaze and several of this year's contestants shared very different takes on the show's biggest editing experiment.
Scott Cam Wants The AI Music Dialled Back
Scott said he still enjoys the music on The Block and can see the appeal of personalised songs, but would prefer the AI-generated tracks to appear less often. His verdict was simple: “I'd like it a little bit peppered throughout.”
Shelley admitted the first episode caught her off guard when contestants transformed into their so-called spirit animals during interviews. She was more open to the experiment overall, describing it as another way for the editors to have fun while building on the familiar parts of the show.
Shaynna was even more direct about her personal taste. “I'm not an AI person, so I like traditional,” she said. Still, she argued that The Block has lasted 22 seasons because it keeps trying new things, whether every creative swing lands or not.
The Contestants See The Fun Side
The Blockheads were generally more enthusiastic. Adam and Jolene said the playful edits had made the show more appealing to children, while Courtney said her niece and nephew had made the AI moments their favourite part of the season.
Sev backed the show's willingness to experiment and pointed out that AI is likely to become more common. His warning to sceptical viewers was just two words: “Buckle up.” Lisa also framed the edits as harmless fun that helps keep an episode moving, even if not everybody loves them.
Production Is Standing By The Experiment
The mixed verdict comes after fans pushed back against the season's AI-generated songs. Post-production executive producer and co-creator David Barbour has defended the technology as another tool for creating humour, personality and highly specific musical moments.
Barbour said the aim was to enhance the show's storytelling rather than replace the contestants, renovations and genuine emotion at its centre. The production team plans to keep experimenting with whatever tools help tell the season's stories, so the personalised jingles and surreal transformations may not be disappearing any time soon.
