Netflix viewers have slammed the use of AI in the new true-crime documentary, The Investigation of Lucy Letby, which delves into the story of neonatal nurse Lucy Letby, who was found guilty of murdering seven babies and attempting to murder seven others in her care between June 2015 and June 2016.

The 90-minute documentary, which arrived on the platform on 4 February, features new materials and testimony from police officers who investigated the case, as well as digital anonymisation of interviewees with the use of AI-generated faces.

A handout photo provided by Cheshire Constabulary of Lucy Letby in police custody in November 2020© Handout
Lucy Letby was found guilty of murdering seven babies and attempting to murder seven others

What have viewers said about the documentary?

Taking to social media, viewers criticised the use of AI in the documentary, with one person writing: “What are the digitally anonymised parts about?!!! It’s like some weird silicone robot that the speech timing doesn’t match up with. Creepy and distracting,” while another added: “I’m not sure I can finish this documentary. The AI parts have ruined it.”

Lucy Letby is questioned following her arrest on July 3, 2018 in Chester, England© Handout
Lucy is serving 15 whole-life orders

A third viewer penned: “AI slop made this unwatchable. Jarring and unnecessary,” while another added: “Why use AI instead of stand-in actors or silhouette interviews? Absolutely tragic to see netflix move in this direction.”

Not all viewers were unimpressed with the documentary, however, with some praising the “chilling” yet “important” film. One person wrote: “A chilling and heartbreaking watch. The documentary is unsettling but important, shedding light on how trust was broken in a place meant to protect the most vulnerable,” while another added: “A chilling addition to Netflix’s true crime catalog.”

Lucy’s sentencing

Lucy, 36, from Hereford, is serving 15 whole-life orders after she was convicted of murdering seven babies and attempting to murder seven others at the Countess of Chester Hospital between June 2015 and June 2016.

In January, it was confirmed that Lucy will face no further charges over additional deaths and collapses of babies that were investigated by police.

Kim Pilling in The Investigation of Lucy Letby© Courtesy of Netflix
Journalist Kim Pilling appears in The Investigation of Lucy Letby

This comes after Cheshire Constabulary passed evidence to prosecutors last year, linked to further allegations of murder and attempted murder against nine children at the Countess of Chester Hospital and Liverpool Women’s Hospital.

Cheshire Constabulary said the decision was “not the outcome that we had anticipated throughout our investigation”.

Letby has been twice denied permission to appeal against her convictions.

Backlash from Lucy’s parents

Lucy Letby’s parents, Susan and John Letby, have said the footage used in the Netflix documentary that features their home is a “complete invasion of privacy”.

Speaking to The Sunday Times, the couple questioned why police had released video of Lucy’s arrest inside their home of 40 years and shared their concerns that the documentary might make their home “become a tourist attraction”.

Lucy Letby, a former nurse, was convicted on August 18, 2023 of murdering seven babies, and attempting to murder six more© Handout
Lucy was convicted on August 18, 2023

“We had no idea they were using footage in our house,” they said. “We will not watch it – it would likely kill us if we did.

“We have, however, stumbled on pictures of her being arrested in her bedroom in our house and her saying goodbye to one of her beloved cats, which are even more distressing. Heaven knows how much more they have to show.

“It is a complete invasion of privacy of which we would have known nothing if Lucy’s barrister had not told us,” they said.