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Aronofsky’s AI-Assisted ‘On This Day… 1776’ Debuts on Time’s YouTube, Faces Harsh Reception

Early viewers are criticizing the generative visuals, with producers positioning the project as an artist-led test of new tools.

Overview

  • The trailer and the first two shorts, “January 1: The Flag” and “January 10: Common Sense,” premiered on January 29, with weekly releases planned throughout 2026 on Time’s YouTube channel tied to each event’s 250th anniversary.
  • Primordial Soup produced the series using Google DeepMind technology, Time Studios is distributing it, and Salesforce sponsored the production with the team collaborating via Slack.
  • SAG‑AFTRA voice actors perform the roles, a writers’ room led by Lucas Sussman penned the scripts, Jordan Dykstra composed the score, and a human post team handled editing, mixing and color.
  • Critics and users highlighted familiar AI artifacts including uncanny faces, floaty motion, deformed hands, and garbled on‑screen text such as a mangled “America” on a “Common Sense” pamphlet.
  • Time Studios president Ben Bitonti said the series aims to demonstrate artist‑led use of AI that expands possibilities rather than replaces human craft.