Tom Hanks is no stranger to Artificial Intelligence. The superstar gave his likeness to Warner Bros. back in 2004 for The Polar Express, and has openly talked about the potential to act in perpetuity through the wonders of AI. But now, he’s staring directly into the lifeless eyes of the uncanny valley that defined his holiday adventure in the form of an advertisement for dental plans – one he didn’t even sign up for.
Hanks took to Instagram in early October to warn his fans away from the advertisement using the actor’s recognizable face to peddle products. While Hanks was disinclined to name and shame the company for stealing his likeness, he did post the following warning, “BEWARE!! There’s a video out there promoting some dental plan with an AI version of me. I have nothing to do with it.”
Companies regularly use celebrities to reach a wider audience for their products, but this practice typically involves the potential spokesperson’s cooperation. While the original video can no longer be viewed, an AI and aerospace company allegedly managed to snag a few screenshots of the offending video before it was taken down, and the pictures are truly the thing of nightmares. While there is little doubt that the images are based on Hanks, the uncanny valley is incredibly wide for these chilling snapshots. Without the actor’s undeniable talent behind the scenes, we have to assume that the commercial lacks any of the charm the real Tom Hanks exudes. Plus, those images are giving some serious Attack on Titan vibes.
As AI becomes more prevalent, its potential to undermine the work of creatives like actors and writers has many concerned. Despite claims that artificial intelligence would be streamlined for use in blue-collar jobs like retail, manufacturing, and service industry positions, as the technology has developed it’s veered toward the arts and entertainment sectors. AI requires information to advance, and that is actively sourced from human contributors in those fields.
The summer of 2023 has already seen several conflicts arise between studios and their creative workforces. Both the WGA and SAG-AFTRA unions are pushing for AI guidelines in writing, and when using an actor’s likeness, among other things. Union negotiators revealed that studios have offered to pay just $200 for the right to an extra’s likeness, which could then be stored and used indefinitely. Writers face uncertainty in the face of AI, and fears that studios will supplement the workforce with AI rather than human labor were addressed when the WGA strike came to an end on Sept. 27. The agreement forbids studios from using AI-written content for productions.
SAG-AFTRA is continuing its strike, pushing for a resolution over the potential use of likeness without compensation, as well as an increase in pay. Concerns are rising over the ability of AI to generate unapproved likenesses of actors, a problem that has affected even big-name stars like Ryan Reynolds, Leonardo DiCaprio, Henry Cavill, and now, it seems, Tom Hanks.
