S Poddar
Scarlett Johansson has expressed alarm at the risks of artificial intelligence following a deepfake video that emerged, misleadingly showing her and other Jewish celebrities protesting against Kanye West. The acclaimed actress is calling on the U.S. government to make legislation controlling AI use a top priority to avoid such abuse.
The doctored video, making the rounds around the web, includes Johansson as well as celebrities such as David Schwimmer, Jerry Seinfeld, Steven Spielberg, Adam Sandler, Sacha Baron Cohen, Natalie Portman, and Lenny Kravitz. They were depicted in white T-shirts carrying a Star of David on the hand that holds up one-finger salute across the word “Kanye.” None of those celebrities appeared in the video, though, with their likenesses used without their permission.
The controversy is in response to West’s latest exodus from the X platform after posting antisemitic content. The rapper, who legally goes by Ye at the time, previously left fans aghast when they offered swastika-emblazoned T-shirts on his site. The phony clip, presented in a manner mimicking his explicit action, displays the caption: “Enough is enough. Stand against antisemitism.”
She responded with a statement in People magazine, highlighting her opposition to hate speech but also voicing strong concerns regarding the implications of AI-generated content.
“It has been brought to my attention by friends and family members, that a video created using AI, in my likeness, in response to an antisemitic opinion, has been shared online and was gaining popularity,” she said. “I am a Jewish woman who has no patience for antisemitism or hate speech of any form. But I also strongly believe that the possibility of hate speech amplified by AI is a much bigger danger than any single individual who takes responsibility for it.”
Her statement highlights the broader issue of AI’s capacity to distort reality, making it difficult to distinguish between truth and fabrication. She warned that if the misuse of AI remains unchecked, society risks losing its grip on what is real.
The timing of this deepfake video aligns with heightened tensions surrounding Kanye West. Recently, he further incensed by calling himself a “Nazi” and showing admiration towards Hitler on X. After getting slammed, West announced that he was closing down his account. Fueling more outrage, he hosted a Super Bowl ad where viewers were prompted to visit his website, selling only swastika-print T-shirts. Nonetheless, Shopify removed the site over policy infractions.
Fox Television Stations CEO Jack Abernethy also weighed in on the issue in a memo to employees, denouncing the dishonesty of the ad.
“The ad, which was promoted as a legitimate online clothing website prior to and during the Super Bowl broadcast, was swapped out at some point thereafter, and entirely outside of our stations’ control, viewers of the commercials were rerouted to the promotion of an entirely despicable product,” he stated, reported Variety.
In the meantime, rapper Ty Dolla $ign, who teamed up with West on his 2024 albums “Vultures 1” and “Vultures 2,” has stayed clear of the scandal. Though he did not explicitly denounce West, he took a position on social media.
“I do not support any type of hate speech against anyone,” he wrote on Instagram.
The deepfake video of West was produced by Guy Bar and Ori Bejerano, online marketers for the Israel-based creative agency Gitam BBDO. Posting the video on Instagram, Bejerano described the inspiration for the project.
“It’s time to stop being silent and respond to antisemites like Kanye West in the strongest way possible,” he wrote.
The virality of the video has also attracted conflicting responses. While some fans initially thought that the celebrities had criticized West, journalist Nicole Lampert observed in the Jewish Chronicle that the campaign highlighted the inactivity of well-known figures on the issue.
“It was exciting to watch Jewish celebrities call out Kanye West – if only they actually did,” she said. “A viral video of the campaign, which turned out to be AI-generated, does nothing but amplify the deafening silence of the celebrity class.”
Outside of this particular instance, the problem resonates with a broader issue about AI-generated content and its deceptiveness. Fresh statistics from the UK’s Advertising Standards Authority show that fake celebrity and public figure advertisements continue to be the most prevalent form of online fraud. With increasingly advanced AI tools, the danger of manipulated content spreading misinformation and ruining reputations increases exponentially.
Johansson’s call to action follows a larger trend calling for greater regulation of AI. As deepfake technology develops further, there are warnings that the capability to create realistic yet deceptive content will be increasingly accessible. Without appropriate control, people and institutions are increasingly likely to become victims of AI-generated disinformation, eroding trust in digital media and public debate.
The actress’s position reiterates the importance of preemption of such issues prior to further undermining the capacity for distinguishing reality from fiction through deepfake technology. While controversies surrounding AI regulation persist, Johansson’s alarm call is a dire warning of artificial intelligence’s ethical implications at a time when digital content is virtually indistinguishable from reality.
