Actress Scarlett Johansson has strongly condemned the unauthorized use of her digital likeness in an AI-generated video targeting antisemitism, raising broader concerns about artificial intelligence technology’s potential for spreading harmful content.
The controversial video, posted on X by Ori Bejerano, featured AI-created versions of Johansson and other Jewish celebrities wearing t-shirts protesting Kanye West’s antisemitic statements. Bejerano claimed the video was a response to West’s recent Super Bowl commercial, which he argued promoted hate speech.
“I am a Jewish woman who has no tolerance for antisemitism or hate speech of any kind,” Johansson told People magazine. She emphasized a critical point: “The potential for hate speech multiplied by AI is a far greater threat than any one person who takes accountability for it.”
The AI-generated content displayed Johansson and other prominent Jewish figures, including Steven Spielberg and Jerry Seinfeld, without their consent. Johansson’s digital representation wore a t-shirt featuring the Star of David, a middle finger, and West’s name.
https://twitter.com/AntisemitismEye/status/1889418938863276346
This incident follows Johansson’s previous confrontation with AI technology. In May 2024, she challenged OpenAI after discovering an AI voice model remarkably similar to her own. The actress revealed that CEO Sam Altman had previously attempted to recruit her for ChatGPT 4.0’s “Sky” voice feature, which she declined.
“When I heard the released demo, I was shocked, angered, and in disbelief that Mr. Altman would pursue a voice so eerily similar to mine that my closest friends and news outlets could not tell the difference,” Johansson stated. OpenAI later paused the voice’s use, claiming it was performed by an unidentified voice actress.
Ironically, Johansson voiced an AI character in the 2013 film “Her” and has now become a leading advocate against unchecked AI technology in entertainment. The Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) has supported her demand for transparency.
“We must call out the misuse of AI, no matter its messaging, or we risk losing a hold on reality,” Johansson warned, highlighting the significant ethical challenges posed by advancing artificial intelligence technologies.
The incident underscores growing concerns about AI’s potential to generate unauthorized and potentially harmful content, even when seemingly intended to address social issues.
