AI expert Marva Bailer reveals how accessible digital tools have made creating AI deepfakes of celebrities alarmingly effortless.
Despite recently enacted legislation in California, artificial intelligence deepfakes of celebrities continue to surface unabated. One recent example involved a clip of Jennifer Aniston purportedly endorsing fitness supplements and claiming her physique at 50 is attributed to their collagen content. The video was quickly removed, but not before sparking skepticism among fans.
Fitness influencer Ben Carpenter scrutinized the clip, determining that the footage originated from a Hollywood Reporter roundtable interview where Aniston was discussing her acting career. "The body language matches. During this snippet of the video, she was actually talking about her acting, nothing to do with her ‘bikini body’ at all," Carpenter noted.
AI Deepfakes: Easier Than Ever, Rampant Despite Legislation
The proliferation of AI deepfakes raises significant concerns. "It is going to get harder and harder to work out which videos are genuine and which are not," Carpenter warned.
Marva Bailer, an AI expert, emphasizes that AI tools have become widely accessible, lowering the barrier to entry for creating deepfakes. "Whereas before it would be complicated computer-aided design or agencies or very expensive, complicated software, people are feeling, ‘Hey, I can just make an ad’ and it is not okay," she explained.
AI Deepfakes: Easier Than Ever, Rampant Despite Legislation
Celebrities are increasingly targeted by these unauthorized endorsements. Stars like Tom Hanks, Taylor Swift, Scarlett Johansson have all fallen victim to this technology. "I've seen it described as one big game of whack a mole," said Rob Rosenberg, founder of Telluride Legal Strategies.
Vigilance is crucial in combating this issue. "You want to stay vigilant and take these things down where you spot them," Rosenberg said. "All of the platforms, once they're notified that this is not authentic, that this is not authorized, then they're obligated to take the video down."
AI Deepfakes: Easier Than Ever, Rampant Despite Legislation
Legislation is emerging to address the problem. California has enacted two bills protecting actors' likenesses, including AB 1836 (for deceased performers) and AB 2602 (for living performers). However, Governor Gavin Newsom vetoed a broader bill, SB 1047, expressing concerns about stifling innovation.
Legal expert Rob Rosenberg believes California has taken a proactive approach. "I think they really are leading the charge on trying to wrap their hands around how do we protect consumers from misunderstandings that could arise from use of this technology," he said.
AI Deepfakes: Easier Than Ever, Rampant Despite Legislation
Marva Bailer emphasizes the limitations of legislation. "There's going to be creators that are going to put whatever they want out there for either for fun or for profit or for harm. And it's up to the authorities. It's up to the fans, and it's up to PR to really try to find those people and stop them again, where it makes sense."
Ultimately, vigilance is key. "With every law, it's only as effective as the enforcement of the law," Rosenberg noted. "You know, it's going to touch everything that we do. I think we're just we're learning as we go along."
AI Deepfakes: Easier Than Ever, Rampant Despite Legislation
