Tom Hanks denounces an ad generated by an AI using his image

"I have nothing to do with it." Tom Hanks warned his fans on his Instagram account that a fake version of him generated by an AI was used in a commercial for an advertisement promoting dental insurance, without his permission.

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"Be careful, there is a video that promotes a dental insurance with an AI version of me. I have nothing to do with it, "warned the Oscar-winning actor on the social network Saturday, on a screenshot of the video in question where he appears much younger than today.

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Tom Hanks recently spoke about his fears about the use of artificial intelligence in film and television. Last April, during his appearance on the podcast of British radio host Adam Buxton, the 67-year-old actor assured that there were "ongoing discussions in all unions, agencies and law firms to determine the legal ramifications of [his] face and [his] voice, as well as those of all the others, being [their] intellectual property," the Guardian said.

"My performance may never stop"

The Forrest Gump actor later said he expected several AI versions of him to replace him after his death, before discussing the legal challenge that using AI represents. "I could be hit by a bus tomorrow, but my performance might never stop," he said.

For several years, artificial intelligence has made it possible to carry out "deepfakes", a technique based on artificial intelligence and allowing someone to say things that he has never spoken. If they were unconvincing at their beginnings, "deepfakes" have become more and more realistic with the rise of so-called generative AI.

This statement by Tom Hanks comes in the context of a strike by screenwriters and actors in Hollywood largely related to the use of artificial intelligence. This new technology makes artists tremble, who fear being replaced by "robots". If the writers have reached an agreement with the production studios after 148 days of strike, the actors must resume their negotiations from this Monday, October 2.