K.K. Downing, 74, defends the AI video that recreates his younger self for KK's Priest's 'Never Satisfied'

K.K. Downing is 74. In KK’s Priest’s new “Never Satisfied” video, an AI version of him is a young man again, staring into a guitar shop window and stepping off a bus with a guitar case.

KK’s Priest released the video on October 15, 2026, with a new recording of the 1974 Judas Priest song, sung by Tim “Ripper” Owens. John Psaras of JPSR Studio directed it, and Downing, a founding Judas Priest guitarist, is credited as executive producer.

Fans love the song, and the most-liked comments under the video go after the AI. Downing isn’t backing down: “That video could not have been made without today’s modern technology,” he said.

What the AI does in KK’s Priest’s ‘Never Satisfied’ video

The video opens with the AI-made young Downing talking to camera. “Yes, this is my life now, and I will not be content until I find out what is missing from all of our lives,” he says. “There is something very special out there that so many need, and until I find it, I will never be satisfied.”

From there he sets off on the road to stardom, and Vice reports the clip cuts that story with live performance footage of the band.

JPSR Studio is open about how it works. Its About page compares AI film today with online video 26 years ago, “dismissed by the same rooms that will depend on it within a decade.” The studio calls its output videography, special effects and sound engineering “with an AI-native pipeline inside it.”

If you want to see what the tools behind this kind of video can do, my AI music video generator roundup covers the main ones.

Why K.K. Downing says the ‘Never Satisfied’ video needed AI

Downing’s argument is that there was no other way to put the young version of him on screen. “Bringing myself to life in such an accurate way is quite beyond belief,” he said in comments Louder published on October 16.

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It's basically bringing to life something that's absolutely impossible to create or film today without it.

The song itself goes back to before Rob Halford joined Judas Priest. Downing wrote “Never Satisfied” with original singer Al Atkins, and Halford sang it on the 1974 debut Rocka Rolla.

The 2026 version has new drums by Sean Elg, new rhythm guitars from Downing and A.J. Mills, and a new mix and master, Blabbermouth reports. Downing and Owens already put out a different recording of the song in June 2025.

Downing also tied the timing to the catalogue. Reach Music bought the rights to Rocka Rolla and Sad Wings of Destiny, and a remastered Sad Wings is due in November.

How KK’s Priest fans reacted to the AI in ‘Never Satisfied’

I went through all 235 comments under the video on October 20. At least 79 mention AI by name, and the 3 most-liked comments are all about it. A few of the top ones:

• “love the tune, ai not needed… rock on” (183 likes, the most-liked comment)
• “AI’s Priest!” (75 likes)
• “Great version but AI ruins it.” (59 likes)

The music gets the opposite reaction. “Now this sounds like vintage Priest. JP was never the same when KK left,” reads the 4th most-liked comment, with 67 likes. Vice quoted another fan who put both in one line: “The AI video sucks, but you are my hero.”

If you only want the song, the 2026 version is a free download on Bandcamp for a limited time. KK’s Priest is also on a North American tour with W.A.S.P. Downing told Blabbermouth he was at the halfway point, with 21 shows played and 21 to go, and Louder lists dates through October 31 in Anaheim.

K.K. Downing joins Billy Joel in casting an AI version of his younger self

Downing isn’t the first rock veteran to do this. Billy Joel’s 2024 video for “Turn the Lights Back On” used AI to turn him into his younger selves from the ’70s, ’80s and ’90s.

Other rock acts keep running into the same idea. Queen’s Roger Taylor called an avatar show “a possibility” but ruled out touring with a virtual Freddie Mercury. And in 2025, Noah Weiland used AI for a tribute video to his late father, Scott Weiland.

The same week, Olivia Rodrigo’s team had the opposite problem and posted hand-drawn drafts to show its video wasn’t AI. For KK’s Priest, the most-liked comment already gave the verdict: love the tune, skip the AI.