Tom Hanks warns of ad with AI impostor

SAN FRANCISCO, United States—Actor Tom Hanks and CBS talk show co-host Gayle King on Monday, Oct. 2, warned fans about ads featuring impostors generated by artificial intelligence.

“Beware,” Hanks said in an Instagram post that evidently showed a copy of an unauthorized digital version of him.

“There is a video out there promoting some dental plan with an AI version of me. I have nothing to do with it.”

The message had received more than 111,700 “likes” since the Academy Award-winning actor posted it to his 9.5 million followers on Instagram on Sunday.

King, a co-host of CBS Mornings talk show, also posted what she said was a bogus video clip of her enticing viewers to click on a link to learn about her weight-loss “secret.”

“I have nothing to do with this company,” King said in her Instagram post.

“I’ve never heard of this product or used it! Please don’t be fooled by these AI videos.”

Safeguards against artificial intelligence being used to replicate screen talent was among the issues fought over during a writers strike that paralyzed Hollywood until a recent tentative deal.

The still ongoing strike by Hollywood actors has yet to be resolved.

Generative AI programs burst into the spotlight late last year, with ChatGPT demonstrating an ability to generate essays, poems and conversations from the briefest prompts.

AI models have added capabilities such as being able to generate digital imagery on command, raising fears the technology will be used to create “deep fake” pictures and videos that fool people into thinking they are real.

Tech titans Google, Meta and Microsoft are among those racing to capitalize on the promise of generative AI while trying to avoid perils such as the technology’s potential as a weapon for misinformation and cybercrime.  /ra

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TAGS: Advertising, AI, Entertainment, Gayle King, Tom Hanks, US