Stranger Things 5 AI script controversy: Fans spot 'ChatGPT' in BTS footage

Did a chatbot help write the end of Hawkins? As the dust settles on the Stranger Things finale, a new storm is brewing. Fans are accusing the Duffer Brothers of using generative AI to pen the show's fifth and final season, following a sharp-eyed discovery in a recent behind-the-scenes documentary.

The Stranger Things 5 AI script controversy and the 'blurry tabs'

The speculation ignited after Netflix released 'One Last Adventure', a documentary detailing the making of the final season. Viewers pointed to shots of the creators' laptops, where several blurry browser tabs appeared to feature the distinctive monochrome icon of ChatGPT. While the icons are too out of focus for definitive proof, the timing has raised eyebrows among a fanbase already reeling from what many called an 'anticlimactic' series finale.

Fueling the fire is the revelation that Season 5 hadn't been fully written when production began. Fans suggest that AI might have been used to accelerate the writing process to compensate for delays. Given the 2023 WGA strike—where AI regulation was a central demand—the possibility of its use in such a high-profile series has sparked intense ethical debate.

Director defends use of 'tools' amid backlash

Martina Radwan, the director of the documentary, addressed the claims in an interview with the Hollywood Reporter. She cast doubt on the identification of the tabs but argued that using AI for research shouldn't be seen as taboo. "Doesn't everybody have ChatGPT open to just do quick research?" Radwan stated, comparing it to having an iPhone nearby while working.

However, the community's response on platforms like Reddit remains skeptical. Critics argue that even using AI for outlining or brainstorming erodes the human element of storytelling. One user noted the irony of potential AI use after the industry-wide fight for AI safeguards. As of now, Netflix has not issued an official comment on the matter.