Tom Hanks was outraged by his image being used for AI ads promoting “miracle drugs” and “miracle cures.”
The Oscar winner warned fans about the viral snake oil ads using his likeness, while insisting he would never endorse such products. RadarOnline.com can reveal.
Hanks, 68, sent issue a warning to his 9.5 million Instagram followers Thursday evening. The “Public service announcement by Tom Hanks” was captioned “EXTRA! EXTRA!! READ ALL ABOUT IT!!”
The message read: “There are multiple advertisements on the Internet falsely using my name, likeness and voice to promote miracle cures and cures. These advertisements were created without my consent, fraudulently and via AI.”
His PSA continued, “I have nothing to do with these posts or the products and treatments, or the spokespeople promoting these treatments. I have type 2 diabetes and I work ONLY with my board-certified physician regarding my treatment.”
Hanks insisted: “Don’t be fooled. Don’t get scammed. DON’T LOSE YOUR EARNING MONEY.”
This is not the first time that the loved Forrest Gump star has had to warn fans because his name and likeness are being used to promote vague health products. In October 2023, Hanks was forced to issue a warning about AI ads using his image to promote a “dental plan”.
He shared a still image from the video ad with a AI generated image of him in a black suit.
The message read: “BEWARE!! There is a video available promoting a dental plan featuring an AI version of me. I have nothing to do with it. – Tom Hanks.”
The 68 year old spoke about the “legal implications” that AI and deepfake technology will bring to the entertainment industry during an appearance on Adam Buxton’s podcast in May 2023.
He said: “We saw this coming. We saw that there was going to be an opportunity to take zeros and ones into a computer and make a face and a character out of it. That’s only increased a billionfold since then, and we see it everywhere.”
‘I can tell you that there [are] discussions going on in all the guilds, all the agencies and all the law firms to consider the legal ramifications of my face and my voice – and everyone else’s – being our intellectual property.”
He continued: “If I wanted to right now, I could get together and pitch a series of seven films that I would star in, where I would be 32 years old from now until the kingdom came. Anyone can now recreate themselves at any age. they are through AI or deepfake technology.”
“I could get hit by a bus tomorrow, and that’s it, but performances can go on and on and on. And outside of realizing it’s done with AI or deepfake, there’s not going to be anything that can tell you that it’s not me and me alone. And it will have a certain degree of lifelike quality. That’s certainly an artistic challenge, but it’s also a legal challenge.”