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When AI_deepfake is used to ‘resurrect the deceased’, not everyone cheers. From Robin Williams to Tupac Shakur, deepfake “revivals” are sparking controversy among critics who argue that the technology prioritises exploitation over compassion.
Zelda Williams, film director and the daughter of the late Robin Williams, asked people on Instagram to refrain from posting AI-generated images of her father. Also, a viral video featuring an AI-created Tupac Shakur disturbed audiences. It indicates that the trend of digitally resurrecting icons might have truly gone too far.
AI_Deepfakes of Late Individuals Viewed as Distasteful and ‘Awful’
Zelda Williams spoke plainly. In a recent Instagram Story, she requested her followers to cease sharing AI_deepfake videos of her deceased father. She described them as repulsive and a misuse of time and effort. She stated that the trend diminishes the legacies of actual individuals. “What’s on those videos is something that “faintly resembles and mimics them,” she stated, alleging that creators manipulate the comedian’s persona for likes and clicks.
Source: The Guardian
“That’s not what he would desire,” she noted, calling the clips “terrible TikTok garbage” that transforms human experiences into “over-processed junk.” Zelda Williams rejected the notion that AI-generated content signifies advancement, arguing it merely reprocesses existing material for reuse.
Her remarks follow earlier alerts regarding AI recreations of actors who cannot give consent, which she previously described as personally unsettling and a Frankenstein-like creation made from the worst aspects of the entertainment industry
Anger spiked once more when a hyper-realistic AI_deepfake video seemingly depicted the deceased rapper Tupac alive and engaging with fans. The deepfake rapidly spread across social media, prompting viewers to criticise it as “upsetting” and “disrespectful.” Many people consider the video a satire, instead of content in honor of the deceased. This indicates that AI’s ability to replicate has started to exceed its boundaries.
Also, comparative AI videos featuring various cultural icons, such as Michael Jackson and Martin Luther King Jr., are emerging on platforms. It is exploiting the identity of previously esteemed personalities into viral content. What started as amusing content has transformed into something more disturbing, an unwanted digital afterlife.
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The criticism regarding digital resurrections is merely a facet of a larger reckoning. The same technology that replicates the voices and faces of the deceased is producing explicit deepfakes. For instance, deepfakes of current celebrities such as Taylor Swift and Scarlett Johansson and is being used for fraudulent activities.
Source: Techpolyp.com
With AI video creation becoming more advanced, the risks are continuously increasing. What started as an artistic breakthrough has transformed into a challenge of some sort.
However, the right to express oneself must not become a right to deride others’ legacies. One thing is nonnegotiable: the deceased must be allowed to rest in peace.