Scarlett Johansson issues statement on viral AI video condemning Kanye West’s antisemitism
Scarlett Johansson has issued a statement after a viral video made by artificial intelligence surfaced on social media, which featured her condemning Kanye West’s recent antisemitic posts on social media.
West has now deleted his profile on X. However, in the past week, his account posted a series of antisemitic messages, including posts in which he declared, “I am a Nazi” and “I love Hitler”. He also described Adolf Hitler as “fresh” as well as hateful remarks about the Jewish community.
Following the rapper’s comments, an AI-generated video went viral which featured famous faces, including Johansson, David Schwimmer, Steven Spielberg, Jack Black, Mark Zuckerberg, Mila Kunis, Jack Black, Jerry Seinfeld, Adam Sandler, and Sacha Baron Cohen, condemning West.
In response to the fake video, Johansson told People: “It has been brought to my attention by family members and friends, that an A.I.-generated video featuring my likeness, in response to an antisemitic view, has been circulating online and gaining traction. I am a Jewish woman who has no tolerance for antisemitism or hate speech of any kind. But I also firmly believe that the potential for hate speech multiplied by A.I. is a far greater threat than any one person who takes accountability for it. We must call out the misuse of A.I., no matter its messaging, or we risk losing a hold on reality.”
The actor continued: “I have unfortunately been a very public victim of A.I. but the truth is that the threat of A.I. affects each and every one of us.”
Johansson concluded by urging the US government to “make the passing of legislation limiting A.I. use a top priority”, stating, “It is a bipartisan issue that enormously affects the immediate future of humanity at large.”
Last year, Johansson responded to OpenAI allegedly imitating her voice for a character on its new ‘Voice Mode’ service, revealing she declined the opportunity to record for the role.
She shared: “In a time when we are all grappling with deepfakes and the protection of our own likeness, our own work, our own identities, I believe these are questions that deserve absolute clarity. I look forward to resolution in the form of transparency and the passage of appropriate legislation to help ensure that individual rights are protected.”
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