October 2, 2023: Tom Hanks, the renowned actor, recently voiced concerns over an advertisement that used an AI-generated version of him. The advert, promoting a dental plan, was entirely artificial, and the actor clarified on Instagram that he had no connection to it.
Tom’s wariness about AI isn’t new. He has spoken about AI’s potential artistic threats to the entertainment industry.
This matter has also been at the core of recent Hollywood strikes, which witnessed the participation of esteemed actors and writers.
As artificial intelligence systems continue to advance, so do the worries about ‘deepfakes‘. These are essentially hyper-realistic virtual representations of real individuals.
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The realm of celebrities isn’t alien to this. Financial expert Martin Lewis and others have found themselves victims of these AI-generated fakes, which sometimes aim to deceive people.
Furthermore, the employment of deepfakes in malicious acts, like pornography, compelled the government in England and Wales to reinforce laws, making prosecution of culprits more straightforward.
The realm of politics hasn’t been spared either. Deepfakes contribute significantly to the spreading of online misinformation. Notable figures like former US President Donald Trump and Ukraine’s present leader, Volodymyr Zelensky, have been victims of such AI manipulations.
As a preventive measure, Google declared in September that political ads on its platform, created using AI, must be identified.
Yet, AI video manipulation isn’t solely for negative purposes. For instance, the virtual concerts showcasing the band Abba used this technology positively. During his appearance on the Adam Buxton podcast in May, Tom Hanks touched upon AI’s potential in lengthening the performers’ careers.
He stated, “Anyone can now recreate themselves at any age using AI or deepfake tech.” Hanks also pointed out that even if he met an untimely end, his AI-generated performances could continue indefinitely.
The fear of being overshadowed by AI has incited a series of strikes in Hollywood. Shows like ‘Stranger Things’ and ‘The Last of Us’ felt the heat of these disruptions.
While the Writers Guild of America (WGA), representing scriptwriters, has reached a tentative truce with the studio heads, a separate standoff involving actors, partly spurred by the AI apprehension, is yet to be settled.
