Do Not Imitate Her

Scarlett Johansson played one of the most appealing AI characters ever created in Her, but these days she’s more likely to compare the technology to Hal 9000. The actress shared a statement condemning AI representations of actors with People on February 12, following an AI-generated video that portrayed her and other Jewish celebrities condemning Kanye West’s antisemitism. “I am a Jewish woman who has no tolerance for antisemitism or hate speech of any kind,” she said in the statement. “But I also firmly believe that the potential for hate speech multiplied by AI is a far greater threat than any one person who takes accountability for it. We must call out the misuse of AI, no matter its messaging, or we risk losing a hold on reality.” The AI “Johansson” opens the video in question wearing a white shirt emblazoned with a middle finger on it alongside a Star of David and the word “Kanye.” Other “celebrities” featured in the video include Drake, Mark Zuckerberg, Mila Kunis, and Jerry Seinfeld. It ends with “Adam Sandler” flipping off the camera while Hava Nagila plays.

“There is a 1,000-foot wave coming regarding AI that several progressive countries, not including the United States, have responded to in a responsible manner,” Johansson added in her statement. “It is terrifying that the U.S. government is paralyzed when it comes to passing legislation that protects all of its citizens against the imminent dangers of AI.” She previously spoke out against AI in May 2024, when OpenAI briefly introduced a voice on ChatGPT named “Sky” that sounded extremely similar to her voice. She claimed OpenAI CEO Sam Altman had reached out to her asking for her consent, owing to her work on Her. “In a time when we are all grappling with deepfakes and the protection of our own likeness, our own work, our own identities, I believe these are questions that deserve absolute clarity,” she added in her statement. “I look forward to resolution in the form of transparency and the passage of appropriate legislation to help ensure that individual rights are protected.”

• [People]

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