Stranger Things Creator Duffer Brothers Used ChatGPT For Script? Here Is ALL We Know

Netflix’s Stranger Things Season 5 has recently dropped its finale on the first of January 2026, which left many of its fans.. disappointed! A lot of people expected that some of the characters would face an unfortunate end or a chilling fight between Vecna and the characters. But all it got was a quick battle of Will and El, along with its friends, against Mind Flayer aka Vecna. Now, fans are even more disheartened,  but this time, it is due to something else – a new theory.

After Netflix released a behind-the-scenes documentary titled The Making of Stranger Things 5, fans began freezing frames and zooming in on screens. One moment, in particular, went viral as a laptop in the writers’ room appeared to have ChatGPT open in a browser tab. And from there, the rumours took off.

In the documentary, a brief shot shows the Duffer Brothers’ work setup with multiple tabs open. Alongside tools like Google Docs and Reddit, viewers spotted what looked like ChatGPT. That was all it took for speculation to begin. Some fans jumped to the conclusion that the show’s creators had used AI to write parts of the final season, especially the ending, which divided the audience. Screenshots began circulating on X, Reddit, and Instagram, with people claiming that the disappointing finale now “made sense” if AI had been involved.

What fans are saying

Reactions have been mixed. Some viewers were angry, saying they felt cheated if a machine had any role in shaping a story they had followed for years. Others were more cautious, pointing out that just because a ChatGPT tab was open doesn’t mean it was used to write anything.

The Great Duffer brother used Chatgpt to write Stranger Things Season 5.
WTF man 😡😡😡, now we know why season 5 sucked.#StrangerThings5 pic.twitter.com/TgjiHv7QN2

— Vicky Shinde (@iamshinde83) January 12, 2026

There were also fans who noted that the documentary revealed something else — parts of the final season were still being worked on while filming was already underway. That alone could explain why some moments felt rushed or uneven, without bringing AI into the picture.

It must be noted that the Duffer Brothers have not confirmed using ChatGPT or any other AI tool to write Stranger Things so far. There is no official statement saying that AI generated scripts, scenes, or dialogue. 

That means there is no proof that ChatGPT was used to write Stranger Things 5. It could have been open for research, brainstorming, or something unrelated. Until the creators say otherwise, the AI theory remains just a theory.