The Investigation of Lucy Letby Highlights a Growing Backlash Against AI

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A new documentary, The Investigation of Lucy Letby, focuses on the highly debated case of British nurse Lucy Letby, who was found guilty in 2023 of murdering several babies at the Countess of Chester Hospital. While discussions surrounding the case usually center on the evidence and whether Letby was rightfully convicted, the main criticism of the documentary isn’t about the facts presented. Instead, viewers are concerned about the documentary’s controversial use of visuals created using artificial intelligence.

Documentary filmmakers sometimes use artificial intelligence to hide the identities of people they interview, believing it protects sensitive individuals and respects their privacy. However, audiences often question whether these AI-created interviews are truly needed, particularly in documentaries that strive for authenticity and factual accuracy. This disagreement over the use of AI in filmmaking has led to a negative response to the documentary The Investigation of Lucy Letby.

The Investigation of Lucy Letby Has a Major AI Problem

The documentary The Investigation of Lucy Letby could have been a compelling look at a deeply disturbing criminal case. However, many viewers and critics feel it didn’t offer much new information, simply rehashing details already widely known. Even more criticism has focused on the documentary’s use of AI to conduct interviews, overshadowing the lack of new insights.

Despite the documentary’s overall quality and its important subject matter, some viewers felt the digitally created content in The Investigation of Lucy Letby took away from the main story. Typically, documentaries rely on real footage, photos, and personal stories to support their claims. While this documentary included those elements, the use of AI-generated content felt artificial and caused some viewers to focus more on how the story was told, rather than the tragic deaths of the children involved.

For this project, we had to protect the identities of some people we interviewed, either because they asked us to or because of legal reasons. To do this, we used technology to change the voices and appearances of two individuals – a mother whose baby was murdered and a former friend of Lucy Letby – while still preserving the honesty and feeling in their accounts. Our goal was to share their stories without revealing details that could identify them.

Documentaries like The Investigation of Lucy Letby often aim to capture the emotional impact of a story. However, using AI to represent individuals in this case felt artificial and undermined the sense of reality. To avoid this negative reaction, the filmmakers could have used options like actual case photos or voice actors to share interview content while protecting people’s identities.

Documentaries Rely On Realism

When depicting real events, TV shows and movies typically use factual information and evidence to help viewers understand what actually happened. They often employ techniques like reenactments with actors. However, audiences may find it harder to connect with AI-generated portrayals of real people, as seen in shows like The Investigation of Lucy Letby.

While some viewers like how voice actors and reenactments use real people to portray those involved in a story, the use of AI-generated content in The Investigation of Lucy Letby made the interviews feel artificial and less genuine. The digitally created content gave the impression of a documentary imitation, and ultimately failed to capture the true emotions of the people being represented.

Lots of shows and films get people talking, but The Investigation of Lucy Letby sparked controversy by using AI-generated content – a technique that’s becoming less and less popular with viewers. While there’s debate about the benefits and drawbacks of AI in general, many feel it shouldn’t be used in shows or movies, particularly when depicting real people and events.

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2026-02-17 05:36