Tom Hanks is issuing a warning to his followers on social media to be wary of advertisements using his likeness that he says were created “fraudulently and through AI.”
“There are multiple ads over the internet falsely using my name, likeness, and voice promoting miracle cures and wonder drugs,” Hanks wrote on his Instagram page Thursday. “These ads have been created without my consent, fraudulently and through AI.”
He added that he has “nothing to do with these posts or the products and treatments, or the spokespeople touting these cures.”
Hanks, who has openly talked about living with type 2 diabetes, acknowledged that he only works “with my board certified doctor regarding my treatment.”
“Do not be fooled. Do not be swindled. Do not lose your hard earned money,” he wrote.
Hanks is among many celebrities, including Drake, The Weeknd and Taylor Swift, to name a few, whose name and likeness have been falsely used in AI-generated images, songs, political endorsements or advertisements posted online.
Several state and federal legislators have recently launched or pushed for expanded protections against the misuse of individual identities in the digital era.
The state of Tennessee recently enacted a law aimed at protecting people from unauthorized use of content that mimics their image or voice called The Ensuring Likeness Voice and Image Security Act, or ELVIS Act, which went into effect last month.