Lucy Letby Netflix documentary slammed for ‘AI’ interview with victim’s mum: 'Abysmal'
The Netflix doc allegedly used AI for "digitally anonymising" faces
The Investigation of Lucy Letby has dropped on Netflix, and its decision to “digitally anonymise” interviewees’ faces with AI has sparked immediate backlash online.
Letby, a former neonatal nurse, is currently behind bars for the murders of seven babies and the attempted murder of seven others.
The new documentary explores the lead-up to her arrest, her conviction, and the aftermath – particularly the rising tide of experts who believe there’s been a miscarriage of justice.
It also features two unprecedented interviews, both of which have been digitally altered to protect their identities. However, the method in which this has been done has quickly become the subject of widespread criticism.
Did Netflix’s The Investigation of Lucy Letby use AI?
The documentary opens with a disclaimer. “Some contributors have been digitally disguised to maintain anonymity,” it reads.
“Their names, appearances, and voices have been altered,” it adds.
Usually, you’d expect to see nothing but a talking silhouette with their voice’s pitch drastically changed, or an actor repeating what they said.
The Investigation of Lucy Letby features interviews with Sarah, the mother of ‘Baby Zoe’ (one of Letby’s victims, whose name has also been changed) and Maisie, Letby’s university friend.
However, they don’t actually appear. It’s unclear if it’s just their face and voice that have been digitally altered, or if they’re both entirely animated, but AI was used.
To be clear, the credits don’t include any reference to AI. Eight “digital imaging technicians” are listed, but it’s also unclear if they worked on the “digital anonymisations”.
Netflix has since confirmed to TV Guide that Netflix was used to digitally alter both contributors.
Netflix viewers condemn Lucy Letby doc for ‘AI slop’
The reaction to the documentary’s use of AI has been near-unanimous.
“I’m sorry, but is the AI in the documentary throwing others off? It definitely is for me, so annoying when it comes up. I can’t focus on anything else,” one user commented on Reddit.
“Does anyone else notice that Zoe’s mum… in the doc seems really off?” another asked, and one viewer replied: “I thought I was going nuts!?! God I hate this.”
Not sure yet what to make of the decision in the Lucy Letby Netflix documentary to anonymise contributors by covering their faces with fake AI faces. pic.twitter.com/dax27wJngD
— The Trials of Lucy Letby (@LucyLetbyTrials) February 4, 2026
Over on X, another viewer called the digital anonymising “incredibly unsettling”.
“It dishonours both the mother and Lucy Letby’s friend,” one user argued, also highlighting the “manipulated photos” of Letby and Maisie. We see her looking at photos of them together, but Maisie’s face has been digitally altered in all of them.
“[That] felt particularly grotesque. This was an abysmal judgement call by the producers,” they added.
It’s not just ordinary viewers, either: The Standard branded the documentary a “morally egregious use of AI slop”.
Read more: Doctor admits nagging ‘guilt’ about Lucy Letby in Netflix doc: ‘Did we get it wrong?’
