Scarlett Johansson, whose deepfake video was created using AI, calls for AI regulation
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Actress Scarlett Johansson has reportedly urged the government to make passing legislation to regulate AI a top priority after an AI deepfake video of her went viral online.
Scarlett Johansson Urges Limits on AI After Viral Video
https://people.com/scarlett-johansson-artificial-intelligence-limited-ai-video-goes-viral-11305926
Scarlett Johansson calls for anti deepfake laws after AI video goes viral | The Verge
https://www.theverge.com/news/611016/scarlett-johansson-deepfake-laws-ai-video
The deepfake video in question shows Johansson wearing a T-shirt with the word 'KANYE' and an image of the Star of David, a Jewish symbol, with her middle finger raised.
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The 'Kanye' on the T-shirt refers to popular rapper Ye, also known as Kanye West. He has long been known for his anti-Semitic remarks and posts, and in 2022, his X (formerly Twitter) account was frozen for posting a swastika (a swastika motif similar to the Hakenkreuz, a Nazi German design).
Also, on February 9, 2025, he ran an ad on the Super Bowl and directed viewers to his website, Yeezy, where he caused controversy by selling T-shirts with a product code of 'HH', an abbreviation of the swastika and Nazi salute (Heil Hitler). Yeezy is inaccessible at the time of writing.
The video in question, which has been circulating mainly on Instagram, features Johansson as well as other Jewish celebrities such as Drake, and ends with the message: 'Enough is enough. Join the fight against anti-Semitism.'
In response to the video, Johansson said in a statement to the US weekly magazine People: 'I have heard from family and friends that a video in which an AI-generated portrait of me in response to anti-Semitic comments has been circulating online and attracting attention. I am a Jewish woman and do not condone anti-Semitism or hate speech in any form. But I also believe that the danger of hate speech amplified by AI poses a much greater threat than the individuals responsible for it. Regardless of the content of the AI's messages, if we do not condemn the misuse of AI, we risk losing sight of reality.'
'I urge the US government to make it a top priority to pass legislation limiting the use of AI. This is a bipartisan issue that will have a profound impact on the immediate future of all of humanity,' Johansson said in a statement, calling for the development of AI regulation laws.
This isn't the first time Johansson has had trouble with AI. In November 2023, she threatened to take legal action against the AI app 'Lisa AI: 90s Yearbook & Avatar,' which used her image and voice in advertising without her permission.
In 2024, she also expressed displeasure with the fact that the voice implemented in OpenAI's GPT-4o sounded very similar to her own voice. The voice in question, 'Sky,' was voiced by a different actress than Johansson, but OpenAI removed 'Sky' after Johansson's protests.
Scarlett Johansson expresses her opinion that she is 'shocked and angry' about GPT-4o's new voice sounding similar to her - GIGAZINE
