‘Cruel Summer’ singer’s likeness, voice used in video that's since been removed from social media
Emma Stone jokingly calls Taylor Swift an 'a--hole' for cheering loudly at Golden Globes
Emma Stone comments on her 20-year friendship with Taylor Swift while accepting an award at the 2024 Golden Globes.
A new ad featuring an AI-generated Taylor Swift offering a giveaway of high-end cookware is not the real deal.
An ad for Le Creuset appeared on social media this month, featuring a likeness of Swift and a fake version of her voice with images of the company’s cookware to promote a giveaway, according to multiple outlets.
"Hey you all, it’s Taylor Swift here," the voice says, according to NBC News. "Due to a packaging error, we can’t sell 3,000 Le Creuset cookware sets, so I’m giving them away to my loyal fans for free."
A spokesperson for Meta, Facebook's parent company, confirmed to Fox News Digital that the ad has been removed from the platform.
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Taylor Swift's AI-generated likeness and voice were used in an unauthorized ad for cookware company Le Creuset. (Lionel Hahn/Getty Images)
Le Creuset confirmed to Fox News Digital in a statement that neither they nor Swift were involved in the ad.
"Le Creuset is not involved with Taylor Swift for any consumer giveaway. All approved Le Creuset giveaways or promotions come from the official Le Creuset social accounts. Consumers should always check Le Creuset’s official social accounts and website before clicking on any suspicious ads."
Representatives for Swift did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
AI expert Marva Bailer noted that whoever created the ad "may be using AI, but a human made the choice to risk their reputation, consumer loyalty or their job by allowing ads that do not have contractual rights for endorsement. The idea that the picture is ‘entertainment,’ or this is for ‘fun’ does not equate in the world of business and brands. Marketing agencies and professionals for the most part are aware of these requirements."
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In a statement to Fox News Digital, Le Creuset confirmed that neither they nor Swift were involved in any kind of promotion or giveaway. (Gareth Cattermole)
She continued, "With the age of AI, artificial intelligence, the barrier to entry to create and disseminate content is not limited to professionals. Free tools that create professional images and campaigns are launched in minutes reaching global audiences of millions. The ‘meme’ culture of creating context for entertainment changes drastically when the content is used to represent brands and commerce without legal consent."
Bailer explained that with the tools available and their rapid evolution, "The speed at which content is created and consumed is estimated at 4,000-10,000 ads per day. With our attention span of 8-seconds, less than that of a goldfish, it presents opportunities for fake ads to slip through. AI is leveraged to understand preferences and increase personalization. [There is] potential to create fake reviews to show interest, create visuals that show use of the product that are imaginary. The promise of happiness, beauty tied to a great deal and the quick press of the button may leave consumers disappointed."
Swift is just the latest celebrity who’s had their likeness used without permission by an AI-generated ad.
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Last year, actor Tom Hanks took to social media to warn fans that an ad using his name and likeness was a scam.
"There's a video out there promoting some dental plan with an AI version of me. I have nothing to do with it," he wrote, signing his name in a post on Instagram.
Actress Scarlett Johansson planned to pursue legal action against an AI image-generating app called Lisa AI: 90s Yearbook & Avatar for her voice and likeness in an ad posted on X, formerly Twitter.
Johansson’s lawyer told Variety, "We do not take these things lightly. Per our usual course of action in these circumstances, we will deal with it with all legal remedies that we will have."
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Tom Hanks and Scarlett Johansson have both spoken out about the unapproved use of their likeness in AI-generated ads. (Getty Images)
In the ad, posted on Oct. 28 but apparently no longer available, footage of Johansson behind the scenes on "Black Widow" is used, where she says, "What’s up guys? It’s Scarlett and I want you to come with me …" before a graphic covers her mouth and the screen shows AI-generated images that resemble her.
There was fine print under the ad that read, "Images produced by Lisa AI. It has nothing to do with this person."
Celebrities, or anyone having their likeness and voice used without permission, may have legal recourse in the future.
According to Bloomberg Law, a proposed "No Fakes Act" was released in October as a discussion draft by a bipartisan group of senators.
It would establish the federal right to control one’s own image and voice, also known as the right of publicity, and allow individuals to control digital replicas, a protection that would exist for 70 years after their death.
The penalties include a fine of $5,000 per violation and any economic damages that can be proven in court.
