Soulless AI Gene Wilder
Netflix cloned Gene Wilder's voice for a new show, and people are not happy. 😳 Is AI going too far?
What the video says
Why does a newly released trailer featuring the voice of a beloved deceased actor sound so empty? Netflix is using an AI-generated voice of Gene Wilder for a new Willy Wonka-themed reality show set to air this September.
The voice clone, created by ElevenLabs, was officially authorized by the late actor's family. Yet the recreation has sparked intense debate over the ethics of bringing deceased stars back to life, Journalist Lance Ulanoff argued that the AI Wilder voice is devoid of passion, pathos, or really any recognizable human emotion.
He described the digital resurrection as a "soulless Gene Wilder." The new reality series borrows themes, recreated sets, and even a living actor from the original 1971 film. It is a production that aims to capture the charm of the original classic, 55 years after Wilder first invited us into his world.
But using these likenesses simply to generate nostalgia and sell a product has logged sharp criticism. While technology makes these recreations possible, critics suggest it may be better to let the dead stay dead.
All told, the project highlights a growing divide over whether AI should ever be used to resurrect Hollywood's past icons.
