5 times celebrities have spoken out against AI deepfakes

Deepfakes are becoming an increasing concern online with many celebrities and influencers' faces fronting fake scams – and in more sinister cases, NSFW material.

For the blissfully unaware, a deepfake is a digitally altered piece of content, often without concern. They're often used with malicious intent for financial gain or to spread false information.

The surge in deepfakes has prompted many high profilers to come forward and speak out including MrBeast and Tom Hanks:

Martin Lewis

The nation's favourite money-saving expert issued a warning over a "disgraceful" scam that could lead vulnerable people to lose money.

Lewis said people are using the technology to "pervert and destroy" his reputation to scam people.

An advert, which circulated online earlier this year, appeared to show Lewis endorsing an Elon Musk-backed investment scheme.

"Musk’s new project opens up new opportunities for British citizens. No project has ever given such opportunities to residents of the country," the AI version of Lewis says in the footage.

The real Lewis later told the BBC "it's pretty frightening."

He continued: "These people are trying to pervert and destroy my reputation in order to steal money off vulnerable people, and frankly, it is disgraceful, and people are going to lose money and people’s mental health are going to be affected."

Getty Images

MrBeast

The popular YouTuber took to X/Twitter to address a deepfake video that went viral online.

"Lots of people are getting this deepfake scam ad of me… are social media platforms ready to handle the rise of AI deepfakes? This is a serious problem," he posted to the platform.

MrBeast included a clip that has been circulating online, that shows an AI version of him saying he's giving away iPhones.

"You’re one of the 10,000 lucky people who will get an iPhone 15 pro for just $2," the deceiving clip said. "I’m MrBeast and I am doing the world’s largest iPhone 15 giveaway."

Tom Hanks

Hanks was forced to issue a warning over a deepfake advert promoting a dental plan using his presence.

In a post to Instagram, Hank shared a screenshot of the ad, with overlaid text reading: "BEWARE!! There’s a video out there promoting some dental plan with an AI version of me. I have nothing to do with it."

Nicki Minaj

In a much lighter incident, the rapper was featured in ITV's Deep Fake Neighbour Wars.

The programme showed an AI version of Minaj and her 'husband,' Tom Holland. Upon arriving home from their honeymoon, they found an intruder in their living room, Mark Zuckerberg.

It plays on an internet rumour that joked Minaj and Holland were dating and expecting a baby in 2019. At the time, the actor joked to Esquire: "This actually really stressed me out... and then I realised I've never met Nicki Minaj. So that was a big relief for me because I'm not ready to have kids."

She wrote: "HELP!!! What in the AI shapeshifting cloning conspiracy theory is this?!?!! I hope the whole internet get deleted!!!"

Streamer Sweet Anita

Meanwhile, popular streamer Sweet Anita was horrified to learn she was targeted by deepfake porn without her consent.

"It has all the same consequences of revenge porn, and so now I will be living those consequences for a choice I never made," Sweet Anita told ITV.

The streamer said the situation has made her "tired" and heightened her security fears.

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