Tom Hanks is the latest victim of AI, scammy dental insurers use artificially generated version in ad

Tom Hanks is the latest mainstream celebrity to be impersonated by AI. A scammy dental insurer got an AI-generated version of Tom Hanks to endorse their insurance plans, without the actor’s consent

Renowned Hollywood actor Tom Hanks, celebrated for his roles in films such as Saving Private Ryan and The Post, recently took to Instagram to alert his followers about a promotional video featuring an AI-generated version of himself endorsing a dental insurance plan.

Alongside an image of this remarkably lifelike AI representation, Hanks issued a cautionary message: “Please be vigilant! There’s a video circulating promoting a dental plan with an AI version of me. I am entirely unaffiliated with it.”

Notably, this isn’t the first instance where the iconic “Forrest Gump” star, who underwent digital de-aging for an upcoming film titled “Here,” has expressed concerns about the implications of artificial intelligence and deepfakes.

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During a May appearance on The Adam Buxton Podcast, Hanks engaged in a thoughtful conversation about the future of AI and its influence on the entertainment industry. He underscored the potential of AI and deep fake technology to recreate individuals at any age, thereby enabling their performances to transcend their lifetimes.

Hanks emphasized that AI-generated content possesses a startlingly realistic quality, rendering it nearly indistinguishable from genuine performances, capable of deceiving audiences.

It is worth noting that this podcast episode was recorded approximately three months prior to the commencement of the SAG-AFTRA strike in July. On-camera performers participating in the strike advocated for measures to safeguard against the exploitation of AI and digital replicas.

Concurrently, the Writers Guild of America, fresh from concluding its own strike with a new contract agreement with entertainment companies, also sought to prohibit the use of AI for writing and rewriting source material.

Tom Hanks is not alone in expressing apprehensions regarding the advancement of AI. In June, Arnold Schwarzenegger, aged 76, commented on the real-world progress of artificial intelligence, drawing parallels with the “Terminator” film series where machines attain self-awareness and seize control.

Schwarzenegger made these observations during an event titled “An Evening With Arnold Schwarzenegger,” highlighting the growing concerns people have about the trajectory of AI. He lauded the foresight of the director of the “Terminator” series, James Cameron, for his prescient storytelling. When the original movie debuted in 1984, it was perceived as a futuristic concept, but over the decades, it has evolved into reality.

Schwarzenegger acknowledged that AI is no longer confined to the realm of fantasy and commended Cameron’s remarkable storytelling for anticipating these developments.