‘Stranger Things’ fans are accusing the Duffer Brothers of using ChatGPT to write the finale

Stranger Things fans are accusing the Duffer Brothers of using generative AI to write the show’s fifth and final season. The speculation came after viewers believed they saw AI chatbot ChatGPT running on the creators’ laptops in a behind-the-scenes documentary. One Last Ride: The Making of Stranger Things 5.

I Stranger Things last ended the series late last month, wrapping up the popular retro sci-fi show after nearly a decade. Unfortunately, the show’s ending left many viewers unsatisfied, taking to social media to complain that the happy ending seemed too climactic and unrewarding.

Some fans thought they had found an explanation for their disappointment One last adventure premiered Monday on Netflix. Covering the production and recording of Stranger Things‘ in the final season, the documentary showed footage of the Duffer Brothers working on their scripts. This included pictures of their mobile screens as they worked on the documents, showing multiple tabs open in their internet browsers (obviously Stranger Things was written in Google Docs).

While most of the displayed websites appeared innocent, one shot showed a few blurry tabs that may have circular monochrome images. Tabs are not too specific to be identified properly, and can belong to any number of different websites. However, Stranger Things fans quickly began to speculate that it might have been a sign of ChatGPT.

The theory was further fueled by the documentary’s revelation that Stranger Things‘ The fifth season was not fully written when production began. While it’s far from a smoking gun, fans are looking at this as a possible indication that production AI has been used to speed up scripting.

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In response to fan speculation, One last adventureDirector Martina Radwan cast doubt on whether the faded tabs were really ChatGPT, and said she had never seen one. Stranger Things‘ authors are using artificial intelligence in ways he might consider illegal. However, he also expressed the belief that it shouldn’t matter if the Duffer Brothers used ChatGPT, because it’s better for designers to use generative AI as a tool.

“Well, there’s a lot of talk there [social media users] it’s like, ‘We don’t really know, but we’re thinking.’ But for me it’s like, not everyone has it [ChatGPT] are we open, to do quick research?” Radwan said in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter.

“[N]someone has shown that it was open. That’s like having your iPhone next to your computer while writing an essay. We just use these tools… while multitasking. So there’s a lot going on all the time, all the time.”

Despite Radwan’s assertion, not everyone agrees. Fans have agreed that there is no clear evidence that ChatGPT was used for writing Stranger Things‘ scripts, and that the Duffer Brothers could easily use an AI chatbot for other things (if they used it at all). However, many also object to the use of generative AI to research, display, reason, or edit documents. As such, it is possible to have ChatGPT open in the same browser used for writing Stranger Things left viewers with suspicions.

“Wasn’t Season 5 filming delayed because of the WGA strike? That would be pretty funny, considering controlling AI is one of the things the WGA is fighting for,” wrote reddit user u/Swordman86.

“I cannot for the life of me understand this sudden and passionate desire of people to incorporate AI into almost every aspect of their work and life,” u/Kreol1q1q posted. “Jesus, if you’re a writer, aren’t you proud of the work you do? Why would you allow a moonic glorified chatbot in something you’re good at, and appreciate.”

“Even with no AI tabs open, the S5’s writing was so bad that in my head canon they almost used the AI ​​off-screen anyway,” said /pat_the_catdad.

Mashable has contacted Netflix for comment.