Entertainment

Scarlett Johansson takes legal action against AI app using her likeness in ad

Written by ABC Audio. All rights reserved. on November 2, 2023

Scarlett Johansson has taken legal action against an AI app that used her name and likeness in an online advertisement without her permission.

The 22-second ad, posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, and has since been taken down, used an image-generating app called Lisa AI: 90’s Yearbook & Avatar, to take real footage of Johansson and generate a fake image and dialogue for her.

“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,” Johansson’s attorney, Kevin Yorn said in a statement obtained by Variety.

The ad, per Variety, opened with an old behind-the-scenes clip of Johansson from the set of Marvel’s Black Widow, saying, “What’s up guys? It’s Scarlett and I want you to come with me … ” A graphic then “covers her mouth and the screen transitions into AI-generated photos resembling the actor. A fake voice imitating Johansson then continued speaking, promoting the AI app,” per the outlet.

“It’s not limited to avatars only. You can also create images with texts and even your AI videos. I think you shouldn’t miss it,” urged a voice made to sound like Johansson.

Fine print under the advertisement read, “Images produced by Lisa AI. It has nothing to do with this person.”

Johansson isn’t the first celebrity to have their name and likeness falsely depicted. A month ago, Tom Hanks warned fans about a fake advertisement using an artificial intelligence-generated version of his likeness without his permission.

“BEWARE!! There’s a video out there promoting some dental plan with an AI version of me,” Hanks wrote on his Instagram Story over a photo from the deepfake ad. “I have nothing to do with it.”