Fans Accuse Duffer Brothers of Using AI in Stranger Things Finale

Stranger Things has been one of Netflix’s top series in recent years and concluded on December 31, 2025. The show first premiered in 2016. On January 12, the Duffer Brothers released their final behind-the-scenes chapter, Stranger Things: One Last Adventure. However, following its release, the makers of the show have been accused of using AI to create the series.

Netflix recently dropped One Last Adventure: The Making of Stranger Things 5, and it has only fueled backlash from disappointed viewers. The 53% audience score is linked to complaints about plot holes, ignored elements like demogorgons, and Will’s powers activating in ways that felt forced.

The documentary offers fans a glimpse into the pre-production and shooting process of the fifth and final installment of the show.

Sharp-eyed fans spotted multiple ChatGPT tabs open on a computer in the Stranger Things 5 making-of documentary, One Last Adventure. I paused the frame, zoomed in, and the tabs looked unmistakably like ChatGPT. The discovery comes as the finale has taken a hit, dropping to a harsh 53% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes.

The documentary shows a Duffer Brothers’ setup with the tabs clearly visible in the background. Fans have reacted strongly on X, Reddit, and TikTok, claiming this explains the rushed and divisive ending. One viral tweet read, “I see two ChatGPT tabs. Their career is over. RIP.”

Without a final script, the Stranger Things makers went into production.

The Duffer Brothers revealed that they began filming Season 5 without a completed final script. Viewers expressed shock, asking how a show as huge as Stranger Things could move forward without a finalized ending.

One user on X stated, “How do you go into the final season of one of the biggest series on TV without a plan? It clearly affected the finale.”

Other users criticized the finale episode, pointing out flaws and calling it a disappointing ending, with some claiming that Will being gay somehow saved the entire universe.

Sources claimed that the story was reconstructed from previous seasons, moving away from fan-favorite creatures like the demogorgon. With no finalized finale plan, fans are questioning whether the creators turned to quick fixes such as AI.

The writers’ room chaos is captured in the documentary, showing rough pages and a lack of organization, highlighting the early stress. Some fans are interpreting this in a humorous way.

Meanwhile, as AI use becomes more normalized, many argue that relying on AI in creative spaces risks killing the human touch and innovation, replacing originality with computerized ideas that could be harmful to the industry.

Read More: What Happened to Leah Palmirotto? Details of the Stranger Things Filming Tragedy