Sponsored message
Audience-funded nonprofit news
radio tower icon laist logo
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
Subscribe
  • Listen Now Playing Listen
Arts & Entertainment

Proliferation of AI deep fakes has Hollywood agents engaged in whack-a-mole

In a crowd, an older white man with a beard hold a black and yellow signs that says "NO A.I." as others demonstrate on a sidewalk.
Actor, director and cinematographer Mark Gray holds a sign reading "No A.I." as writers and actors staged a solidarity march through Hollywood to Paramount Studios on Sept. 13, 2023.
(
FREDERIC J. BROWN
/
AFP via Getty Images
)

This story is free to read because readers choose to support LAist. If you find value in independent local reporting, make a donation to power our newsroom today.

Topline:

As deepfake ads dupe consumers — using such beloved celebs as Jennifer Aniston, Tom Hanks and Selena Gomez — and risk the reputations of high-profile figures, Hollywood agents and lawyers are on the front lines trying to win “a terrible game of whack-a-mole.”

Why it matters: Deepfake technology is only becoming more advanced, and AI tools are starting to be integrated into social platforms such as X. All this growth in the space makes it easier for scammers to create ads for products that appear to be celebrity-endorsed, risking reputations, creating potential harm for consumers and leading everyone to lose trust in what’s real. Just this week, Donald Trump posted a fake AI-generated image in which Taylor Swift appeared to endorse him. (She has not.)

WME’s tech solutions: WME has been among the agencies taking action, working with companies that deploy AI technology to solve the problems being created by less noble uses of AI. One company in particular, Loti, uses an automated system to scour the entire internet looking for clients’ faces and voices and sends takedown notices.

A new rule that’ll help: Last week, the Federal Trade Commission issued a new rule banning fake or false reviews. The FTC also explicitly mentions AI-generated celebrity testimonials as running afoul of the new dictate.

For more... read the full story on The Ankler.

This story is published in partnership with The Ankler, a paid subscription publication about the entertainment industry.

You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our connected community. We are free to tell the full truth, to hold power to account without fear or favor, and to follow facts wherever they lead. Our only loyalty is to our audiences and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen our community.

Right now, LAist has lost $1.7M in annual funding due to Congress clawing back money already approved. The support we receive from readers like you will determine how fully our newsroom can continue informing, serving, and strengthening Southern California.

If this story helped you today, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.

Your tax-deductible donation keeps LAist independent and accessible to everyone.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief

Make your tax-deductible donation today

A row of graphics payment types: Visa, MasterCard, Apple Pay and PayPal, and  below a lock with Secure Payment text to the right