Deepfake Dental Disaster: Hanks Exposes Rogue AI Ad

Video Of Young "Tom Hanks" Is Freaking Out The Internet. But It's Not What It Seems...

A concerning development in the world of advertising and technology has come to light this week. Beloved actor Tom Hanks took to Instagram on Sunday to warn his followers about an ad that used an AI-generated deepfake of him to promote dental services - without his permission.

In the post, Hanks stated clearly that he had "nothing to do with" the video advertisement, which depicts a significantly younger-looking digital version of the actor. This unauthorized use of his likeness raises important questions about the ethics of using AI to recreate and exploit celebrities' images.

Hanks has been vocal about his wariness of such technology and the potential implications for the entertainment industry. Just last spring, he appeared on The Adam Buxton Podcast and spoke at length about the artistic and legal challenges posed by AI tools like deepfakes. He hypothesized about a nightmare scenario in which an AI replica of himself at age 32 could be used to churn out roles indefinitely, without his real participation or consent.

It seems this dental ad, while less extreme, brought some of these concerning possibilities to life. The visual effects company Humamata created Hanks' digital doppelganger to read a script about the benefits of dental implants. The quality is convincing enough that an unsuspecting viewer might believe it's the real Hanks endorsing the product.

This is not the first time AI has been used to resurrect celebrities for advertising purposes. Earlier this year, a documentary about Anthony Bourdain utilized AI voice replication software to create narration in the late chef's voice. And just this past weekend, Robin Williams' daughter Zelda spoke out on social media about the unethical use of such technology to profit from those who can no longer consent, like her deceased father.

Hanks is not alone in his wariness about this technology. He told Buxton that he's been aware of the potential since the early 2000s, when he starred in The Polar Express. That film utilized a fully CGI-rendered version of Hanks' character, marking one of the first instances of an actor's "digital double" created from their own data and movements.

At the time, Hanks already seemed cognizant that this could be the beginning of a concerning trend. As he told Buxton, "We saw this coming." Now, 20 years later, it's clear his misgivings were well-founded.

The rise of powerful AI generative models like DALL-E 2, GPT-3, and others have brought exponential advances in synthesized media. Deepfakes in particular enable realistic face-swapping and full video and audio fabrication with little more than a few images or sound clips.

While these technologies provide positive creative potential, they also allow for dangerous exploitation if deployed without consent or accountability. The dental ad Hanks decried is just one small example of what could become an industry norm if left unregulated.

One especially troubling application is using AI to bring back deceased performers. Hanks hinted that he could be "hit by a bus tomorrow" and still have his performances live on eternally via synthetic replication. And Robin Williams' heirs have justifiable concerns about his immense talent being used without his approval or involvement.

Celebrities have already endured image rights issues around paparazzi, unauthorized biopics, and more. Deepfakes and AI may turbocharge these problems - allowing famous faces and voices to be copied and pasted however people see fit.

There are still more questions than answers when it comes to these technologies and their governance. How will likeness rights and intellectual property be protected? What constitutes fair use or transformative work? How will fraud and misinformation be prevented when images, audio, and video can no longer be taken at face value?

Hanks and other actors are right to sound the alarm now. If left unchecked, there is potential for great abuse of these rapidly advancing tools. We need an open discussion around establishing ethical guidelines and protections sooner rather than later.

It will also fall on advertisers and media makers to self-regulate. No one benefits when the technology is used maliciously or deceitfully. Any company deploying deepfakes should think critically about necessity, transparency, and consent.

As an influential celebrity with decades of experience, Hanks' perspective carries weight. Perhaps the industry will heed his warnings and work toward a solution. But if not, we may be headed down a slippery slope. Audiences, too, must keep a critical eye on how AI is deployed in the media landscape in years to come.

The promise of creativity and innovation remains. But we have not yet reckoned fully with the downsides of synthesized media and immortal digital reproductions. If Tom Hanks himself no longer controls his own likeness, image rights may be in greater peril than ever before.

Let this strange dental ad serve as a wakeup call. The technology is certainly impressive - but are we ready for everything it makes possible, for better or worse? Hanks and others in the entertainment industry seem to think not. For the sake of ethics and consent, society would be wise to proceed with caution.

I'll be keeping a close eye on how this conversation develops around AI use in advertising and entertainment. As always, let me know your thoughts! Do you find this technology exciting or troubling? What should be done to prevent misuse while allowing for innovation? I look forward to hearing from you.