Tom Hanks Unveils Dental Plan Video Featuring Unauthorized 'AI Version' of Himself
Tom Hanks distances himself from an unauthorized AI version of him promoting a dental plan, clarifying his lack of involvement in the Instagram post
Hollywood actor Tom Hanks stated on Instagram that he has no association with an artificial intelligence replica of himself, which is currently endorsing a dental plan. On Sunday, Hanks shared a picture of what appears to be a younger version of himself generated by AI, but it remains uncertain if this image originated from the dental plan advertisement.
"Beware!" cautioned the Oscar-winning actor in a post on his official Instagram account. "There's a video circulating, endorsing a dental plan featuring an AI rendition of myself. I want to emphasize that I am in no way associated with it."
On July 27, 2023, John Oliver joined the Writers Guild of America East (WGA) in their picket line during a "comedy writers rally" outside of NBC Rockefeller Center in New York City. This event occurred on the 87th day of the joint strike, which is the first of its kind since 1960, led by both SAG-AFTRA and WGA against the Hollywood studios. The strike has caused a significant halt in Hollywood productions, with writers now in their third month of striking. The accompanying image is credited to Alexi Rosenfeld/Getty Images.
CNN was unable to independently verify the dental plan ad mentioned by Hanks and has contacted Hanks' representatives for comment.
The use of AI in creating virtual actors has become a highly discussed subject in Hollywood recently due to its connection with the ongoing actors strike. AI enables a simpler and more cost-effective utilization of CGI to produce performances by actors who are absent. SAG-AFTRA, the actors union, contends that studios aim to employ this technology to replace acting roles by scanning and generating digital representations for perpetual usage without providing fair compensation.
Hanks, in an interview with "The Adam Buxton Podcast" back in May, had expressed his concerns regarding the potential ramifications of implementing AI within the entertainment sector. He mentioned that movie agents are currently engaged in conversations regarding the creation of contracts aimed at safeguarding actors' likenesses as intellectual property.
Tom Hanks is one of Hollywood's biggest stars.
Stephane Cardinale/Corbis/Getty Images
On the same podcast, Hanks also hinted that this technology could potentially enable him to continue starring in new movies even after his passing. "Thanks to AI or deep fake technology, anyone can now rejuvenate their appearance to any age they desire... Even if something were to happen to me suddenly, my performances could live on indefinitely," he elaborated.
Acknowledging that an AI version of himself would not be capable of delivering performances on par with his own, Hanks pondered whether audiences would truly be bothered.
"People will undoubtedly perceive the difference, but the real question is, will it affect their enjoyment?" he questioned. "There will be individuals who won't mind, who won't make that distinction."
Hanks mentioned that the creation of an AI version of himself would be simplified due to the availability of his recorded likeness and movements from the film "The Polar Express" in 2004. He referred to this movie as a significant milestone where a substantial amount of their personal data, including their appearance, was stored in a computer.
We predicted the emergence of the capability to transform binary code into visual representations like faces and characters. Since then, this phenomenon has grown exponentially, becoming ubiquitous in our surroundings.
