Director Morgan Neville steps back from generative artificial intelligence following the controversy over 'Roadrunner'.

The documentary "Roadrunner," directed by Morgan Neville and focusing on the life of Anthony Bourdain, generated considerable controversy due to the use of artificial intelligence to recreate the famous chef's voice. According to Neville, this technique was viewed as a fun way to keep Bourdain's voice alive within the movie. However, this decision sparked strong criticism, as, although the content was sourced solely from authentic texts written by Bourdain, many viewers believed that new content had been "invented."

The director emphasized that after the release of "Roadrunner," he received feedback regarding other documentary projects that were using similar methods, which led some productions to alter their approach or include significant warnings about their use of AI. As a result, Neville has been "increasingly avoiding" the use of artificial intelligence in his work.

In his new documentary titled "Piece by Piece," which dramatizes the life of musician Pharrell using Legos, Neville made sure not to resort to AI. He clarified that, with the permission of Sagan's widow, they were able to make "Carl Sagan" say the name "Pharrell" without the use of artificial intelligence. Instead, the team experimented with constructing the word from syllables that Sagan had actually pronounced.