Throughout 2023, artificial intelligence (AI) has remained a central topic in Hollywood, with multiple celebrities taking a stand against the use of their likenesses in AI deep fakes. Tom Hanks, MrBeast, and Gayle King are among the prominent figures who have recently voiced their concerns and sought to combat the misuse of their images in AI-generated content.
Tom Hanks, the renowned actor, was the first to spot an AI deep fake of himself. He shared a screenshot of the video on his Instagram page on October 1, cautioning his followers to “beware” and disavowing any involvement with it. The AI version of Hanks had been created to promote what he referred to as “some dental plan,” further highlighting the potential for deceptive use of AI-generated content.
Following in Hanks’ footsteps, Gayle King, the American broadcast journalist, discovered an AI deep fake of herself on October 2. This deep fake utilized a recent video she had made to promote her radio show, manipulating her voice and video to make it appear as though she was endorsing a product she had no knowledge of. King issued a warning to her followers, urging them “not to be fooled.”
The revelations from these celebrities prompted discussions about the “scariness” of AI deep fakes and their potential for misleading audiences.
On October 3, YouTube personality James Donaldson, known as MrBeast, joined the chorus of voices denouncing AI-generated deep fakes. He took to social media platform X (formerly Twitter) to raise awareness about an AI deep fake featuring himself promoting a scam related to winning an iPhone 15 Pro. MrBeast posed a crucial question to social media platforms, asking if they were prepared to handle the growing prevalence of AI deep fakes, emphasizing that it’s a serious problem.
Responses to MrBeast’s post revealed that AI deep fakes were already making their way onto popular platforms like TikTok, raising further concerns about their widespread emergence.
While there is no official legislation in place regarding AI deep fakes in the United States, lawmakers are contemplating regulations, particularly concerning political deep fakes, as the 2024 presidential election approaches.
In the entertainment industry, negotiations between Hollywood studios and actors are underway regarding the use of AI in future productions. The Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists has included AI as a significant issue in their ongoing strike. Studios have proposed scanning background performers, paying them for a single day’s work, and obtaining complete ownership of their scan, image, and likeness.
On a separate note, the Writer’s Guild strike has concluded with negotiated terms for the use of AI in written material within the entertainment industry, further highlighting the industry’s growing concern over the implications of AI technology on their craft.
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