Will.i.am And Simon Cowell Are Working On An ‘X Factor’ For Tech

Will.i.am And Simon Cowell Are Working On An ‘X Factor’ For Tech

If you thought judge-critiqued and/or audience-voting-based reality TV shows were getting old, you’d be right, but that doesn’t mean they’re going away. X Factor’s Simon Cowell and the Black Eyed Peas’ Will.i.am are reported to be whipping up a new one right now, but it’s not for singing, or any kind of performance art. No, no, no. It’s for tech moguls.

This news comes by way of The Sun, which talked to Will.i.am about the new project. The “rapper” described it this way:

“Singing and performance create a couple of jobs. But this will create lots. It’s about getting in touch with youth and giving them a platform to express themselves — whether that’s in science or mathematics.”

The idea isn’t particularly new. In fact, it bears a bit of a resemblance to ABC’s Shark Tank (which, I might mention, is surprisingly fantastic show) and Silicon Valley. Still, Cowell and .am — though big names — aren’t exactly the kind of figures you’d typically think of tasking with finding a new Gates, Jobs, or Zuckerberg. Presumably there’d be some “expert” judges involved.

There aren’t many details at the moment, but the pair did start hashing the idea out over dinner a few weeks ago, a dinner Will.i.am described to The Sun as both “wicked” and “very nice”. Will the next big revolution in the tech world break on reality TV? Please god no. No no no. [The Sun via TechCrunch]