:

NETFLIX USES AI-GENERATED GENE WILDER VOICE FOR WONKA SHOW

AI DESK1 MIN READ
TUE, JUN 30, 2026

■ AI-SUMMARIZED FROM 4 SOURCES ▸ TIMELINE

Netflix's upcoming reality competition series The Golden Ticket will feature an AI-recreated voice of Gene Wilder. The streaming platform partnered with AI audio company ElevenLabs and obtained permission from Wilder's family for the project.

The Golden Ticket premieres September 23rd on Netflix, continuing the platform's trend of reality shows based on fictional narratives. The series follows Squid Game's competition format, with contestants competing through challenges inspired by Roald Dahl's Willy Wonka universe. While the physical sets are real, Netflix employed AI voice synthesis to recreate Wilder's iconic narration. The late actor famously portrayed Willy Wonka in the 1971 film adaptation. ElevenLabs, the company behind the AI audio technology, worked directly with Wilder's family to secure approval for the voice recreation. The teaser trailer confirmed the AI voiceover approach, marking a notable use of synthetic voice technology in mainstream entertainment production. The collaboration between Netflix and Wilder's estate represents an emerging practice of leveraging AI to recreate performances from deceased actors with family consent.

■ SOURCES

EngadgetThe VergeBloomberg TechTechCrunch

■ SUMMARY WRITTEN BY AI FROM THE LINKS ABOVE

■ MORE FROM THE AI DESK

Tang Jie, founder of Zhipu AI (Z.ai), has argued that frontier artificial intelligence capabilities should remain broadly accessible rather than restricted. The position contrasts with growing calls for AI regulation in Western markets.

2H AGOAI Desk

A comparative study found Claude Code consumes nearly five times more tokens than OpenCode before even processing user prompts, raising efficiency concerns for developers managing API costs.

8H AGOAI Desk

A new study finds that AI tools are helping researchers advance their careers faster while simultaneously narrowing the range of ideas being explored. The research suggests AI adoption in science may be creating a homogenizing effect on academic discovery.

9H AGOAI Desk

LinkedIn accounts for nearly two-thirds of all AI-generated long-form posts across major social platforms, according to a Pangram analysis. The platform's 41 percent AI-written rate far exceeds competitors despite making up only a third of all scanned posts.

10H AGOAI Desk

■ SUBSCRIBE TO THE DAILY BRIEF

ONE EMAIL, 5 STORIES, 06:00 UTC. UNSUBSCRIBE ANYTIME.