Tom Hanks warns of ad with AI imposter: "Beware"

Los Angeles, California - Actor Tom Hanks and CBS talk show co-host Gayle King on Monday were warning fans about ads featuring imposters generated by artificial intelligence.

Tom Hanks has warned his Instagram followers that there is a video using an AI version of himself to promote a dental plan.
Tom Hanks has warned his Instagram followers that there is a video using an AI version of himself to promote a dental plan.  © PATRICIA DE MELO MOREIRA / AFP

"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.

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King, a co-host of CBS Mornings talk show, 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."

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CBS host Gayle King has also warned of an AI ad promising to reveal her weight loss "secret."
CBS host Gayle King has also warned of an AI ad promising to reveal her weight loss "secret."  © ROY ROCHLIN / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / GETTY IMAGES VIA AFP

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.

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AI models have added capabilities such as being able to generate digital imagery on command, raising fears the technology will be used to create "deepfake" pictures, recordings, and videos that fool people into thinking they're 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 cyber crime.

Cover photo: PATRICIA DE MELO MOREIRA / AFP

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