Netflix sparks controversy after using 'uncomfortable' AI in new Gabby Petito documentary

One of Netflix’s new true crime shows has sparked controversy after viewers discovered that artificial intelligence was used in editing, with some calling it ‘disrespectful’ to the victim.

Everyone is talking about the three-part docuseries centred on the murder of aspiring travel influencer and YouTube vlogger Gabby Petito, who died at the hands of her boyfriend, Brian Laundrie, in 2021.

The pair, who had been in a relationship since 2019, set off together in a Ford Transit van on a road trip. But when Laundrie returned to his parent’s house in Florida without Petito, alarm bells began to ring.

The three-part series, titled American Murder: Gabby Petito, sees the 22-year-old victim’s family opening a missing person’s case and eventually learning their daughter died from ‘manual strangulation’.

You can watch the trailer below:

The disappearance and suicide of Laundrie are also outlined in the true crime programme, while personal entries from Petito’s diary are read out in her voice.

These diary excerpts are teamed with personal text messages lifted from the victim’s phone to give an accurate and personal portrayal of her final days.

However, some viewers have taken aim at Netflix after learning the woman’s voice was created by using AI voice recreation software.

The use of AI was referenced in the first episode of American Murder: Gabby Petito with a disclaimer which read: “Gabby Petito’s journal entries and text messages are brought to life in this series in her own voice, using voice recreation technology.”

American Murder: Gabby Petito is available to stream now (Netflix)

Viewers have since taken to social media to have their say about the AI voice recreation, with one Redditor writing: “I hated it personally, I’m sure her family approved it and it may have been really meaningful to them.

“But if I die tragically please no one recreate my voice to make a better documentary. Creepy."

A second echoed: “Yeah, made me uncomfortable. As soon as I heard it I went to reddit to see if anybody else had the same reaction haha.

“Netflix has been caught using AI on their true crime series in the past so I’m not really surprised, It's just gross that they have no shame in doing this sort of thing.

“They could have just hired any voice actress to read it out loud, too. AI voice recreation was not necessary and it just feels very disrespectful.”

Someone else said: “I had to pause because I was very taken aback. How are we normalizing AI this much where they’re doing this? Booooo Netflix.”

However, not everyone agreed.

One viewer claimed: “I thought it was a really special way to bring those journal entries to life, and they really seemed to put a lot of effort in to ensure the only things read in her voice were without a doubt actually coming from her.”

“I think it was their way of giving Gabby her voice back,” another penned.

Amid American Murder: Gabby Petito’s release on Netflix, filmmakers Julia Willoughby Nason and Michael Gasparro sat down with US Weekly and explained why they chose to use AI.

Gasparro confirmed they had reached out to the family to get their blessing to recreate Petito’s voice before working ‘diligently to represent’ how the texts and journal entries were written.

The show's creators have defended the AI usage (Netflix)

“That allowed you to hear it through her own words,” she continued.

Nason also remarked how ‘important’ it was to bring the woman to life on the screen because they ‘wanted to tell the story as much through Gabby as possible’.

“It’s her story,” they added.

All three episodes of American Murder: Gabby Petito are available to stream on Netflix now.

LADbible Group has previously reached out to representatives of the streaming platform for further comment.