For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emailsSign up to our free breaking news emails<\/p>\n
I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our\u00a0privacy policy<\/p>\n
Netflix subscribers are complaining about the use of artificial intelligence in the streamer\u2019s latest hit docuseries.<\/p>\n
Dirty Pop: The Boyband Scam was released on Netflix on Wednesday (24 July), with the three-part series rapidly rising to No 1 in the UK\u2019s Top 10 TV shows. <\/p>\n
Despite the documentary\u2019s popularity, however, viewers have taken issue with its use of AI to replicate the voice and image of its subject, the late Lou Pearlman.<\/p>\n
Dirty Pop chronicles the rise and fall of Pearlman, the creator of iconic Nineties boy bands such as Backstreet Boys and *NSYNC.<\/p>\n
In 2016, the former talent manager died in federal custody aged 62, after pleading guilty to conspiracy, money laundering, and making false statements during bankruptcy proceedings.<\/p>\n
Within the three minutes of episode one, viewers are informed that they will see digitally altered footage of Pearlman narrating his writings across the series. <\/p>\n
\u201cThis footage has been digitally altered to generate his voice and synchronise his lips,\u201d reads a message on the screen. \u201cThe words were written by Lou in his book, Bands, Brands & Billions.\u201d<\/p>\n
Several viewers complained about the decision to use AI and shared their thoughts on X\/Twitter.<\/p>\n
to whoever decided to make ai lou pearlman the narrator of this dirty pop documentary on netflix, i hope you step on a lego. this is embarrassing<\/p>\n
\u2014 jessica (@jessicalynne) July 24, 2024 Watching the Dirty Pop documentary. So far so good but the use of the AI generated voice is not necessary.<\/p>\n
Really hope this doesn\u2019t become a trend – won\u2019t be able to tell what\u2019s real and what\u2019s fake anymore<\/p>\n
\u2014 Alexis Todd-Dinac (@AlexisToddNY) July 25, 2024 \u201cTo whoever decided to make AI Lou Pearlman the narrator of this Dirty Pop documentary on Netflix, I hope you step on a lego, this is embarrassing,\u201d wrote one person. <\/p>\n
Another called the use of AI \u201cso off-putting and terrible\u201d that they will not finish the series. \u201cIt makes the doc actively worse and it\u2019s super distracting!\u201d they said. \u201cWhy even bother?\u201d<\/p>\n
Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 daysNew subscribers only. \u00a38.99\/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled<\/p>\n
Try for free<\/p>\n
Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 daysNew subscribers only. \u00a38.99\/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled<\/p>\n
Try for free<\/p>\n
\u201cWatching the Dirty Pop documentary. So far so good but the use of the AI generated voice is not necessary,\u201d wrote a third person. \u201cReally hope this doesn\u2019t become a trend \u2013 won\u2019t be able to tell what\u2019s real and what\u2019s fake anymore.\u201d<\/p>\n
Tried watching the Dirty Pop doc on @netflix but the AI Lou Pearlman thing is so off putting & terrible I\u2019m not finishing it. It makes the doc actively worse and it\u2019s super distracting! Why even bother? What\u2019s the point? Were they paid to use it? I don\u2019t get it at all.<\/p>\n
\u2014 Jerry Roe (Blu-Check) (@JerryRoe) July 26, 2024 \u201cI\u2019m not looking at that for three hours,\u201d said another of the digitally altered version of Pearlman.<\/p>\n
Someone else commented: \u201cI can\u2019t stop cringing every time the AI pops up. I don\u2019t get what they were thinking there.\u201d<\/p>\n
In a new interview for Netflix, published on Saturday (27 July), executive producer Michael Johnson said: \u201cWe secured Lou\u2019s life rights; we only used words written by Lou himself; we hired an actor to deliver those words; we used real footage of Lou in order to capture his true mannerisms and body language; and we hired AI experts from MIT Media Lab, Pinscreen, and Resemble AI to execute our vision.\u201d<\/p>\n
Explaining his decision to use AI, Johnson added: \u201cIt was important for us to convey the words written in Lou\u2019s book in this way because his writing is a reflection of his reality and the reality that he wanted everyone to believe.<\/p>\n
\u201cWith the AI spread across the series, the viewer gets to experience the difference between Lou\u2019s reality and the reality that the rest of the world experienced. This juxtaposition is essential to understanding Lou as a human being as well as a devious con man.\u201d<\/p>\n
Backstreet Boys (Getty Images)Dirty Pop features interviews with members of Backstreet Boys and *NSYNC about their troubled relationship with Pearlman.<\/p>\n
Both bands parted ways with him publicly, claiming that they had not been properly compensated for their success despite their record-breaking sales.<\/p>\n
In 1998, Backstreet Boys sued Pearlman, alleging that they had only earned $300,000 since 1993 while he pocketed $10m, according to Forbes. <\/p>\n
*NSYNC (Getty Images)The following year, in 1999, *NSYNC also sued the talent manager in order to get out of their original contract with his record company, Trans Continental Records.<\/p>\n
Both bands eventually severed ties with Pearlman, who ran into further legal trouble when he was discovered to be running one of the largest Ponzi schemes in American history. <\/p>\n
In 2008, Pearlman was sentenced to 25 years in prison for stealing more than $300m from investors. He died of cardiac arrest eight years later while in federal custody in Miami. <\/p>\n
Speaking of Pearlman\u2019s death in the documentary, *NSYNC\u2019s Chris Kirkpatrick said: \u201cI think we should remember Lou as a crook who got what he deserved in the end, and there are people that are still in pain and hurting because of his actions.\u201d <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emailsSign up to our free breaking news emails I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our\u00a0privacy policy Netflix subscribers are complaining about the use of artificial intelligence in the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3465,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[173],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3464","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"yoast_head":"\n