(Left) will.i.am (Right) Simon Cowell - collaborating team of X-Factor for Tech (via Getty Images)
I’m sure you have heard of shows like American Idol or America’s Got Talent, where a panel of celebrities judges performers to try to find the biggest talent. I have never been able to watch shows like these for too long. But soon there may be a show that captures the interest of engineers and the science community alike, as Simon Cowell and Wiil.i.am, from the Black Eyed Peas, announce the potential for a new type of reality TV show. This time they are trying to find the most competent talent in the technology world.
Cowell, producer of American Idol and the BBC show The X-Factor, is known for his stone cold but truthful criticism. Will.i.Am is famous for his music and avant-garde style that has even landed him the position of Director of Creative Innovation by Intel in 2011. Now, both of them are meeting to scheme how they will search for talent in the fields of science and technology, looking for the next Bill Gates or Steve Jobs.
Will.i.am has already done much to support the STEM fields by donating money and time to schools in L.A. and creating his non-profit organization called i.am.angel. Cowell on the other hand, has also expressed an interest in finding beautiful minds as he once pitched the idea of a show titled, American Inventor, that failed to launch.
Shows about innovative ideas, like Shark Tank (a project pitch show), have already proven there is a viewing audience for this type of reality TV. But, this time the show seems to be geared towards finding a tech entrepreneur that could fill the shoes of a tech visionaries and head a company that will not only generate tech innovations but create new jobs.
Will.i.am described what the goal of this show would be, “It’s about getting in touch with youth and giving them a platform to express themselves — whether that’s in science or mathematics.”
Cowell has confirmed the purpose of his meetings with Will.i.am. No official information has been made available, as the show has not yet been approved by any network. At the time it is being called “The X-Factor for tech” and would likely follow “The X-Factors” competitive format.
Needless to say, this type of news is a breath of fresh air. It is reassuring to hear that people in high places believe in finding intelligent talent rather than the superficial, as the overly-tech-minded moves slowly but surely into the mainstream. Will.i.am announced the beginnings of this collaboration at a London tech conference.
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