The Impact of Deep Fakes on Hollywood: Morgan Freeman’s Role in AI’s Disruption

In a recent panel discussion at the Produced By conference, Lori McCreary, CEO of Morgan Freeman’s production company Revelations Entertainment, expressed concerns about the misuse of artificial intelligence in the film industry. Specifically, McCreary highlighted the issue of AI-generated replicas of Freeman’s voice being used without permission.

McCreary recounted an incident where she received a video of Freeman seemingly promoting a book, only to discover that it was a deepfake created by an 11-year-old. This experience led her to emphasize the importance of staying ahead of AI technology and developing tools to verify the authenticity of content.

Renard T. Jenkins, President of I2A2 Technologies, Labs & Studios, also discussed the need for industry-wide collaboration to combat deepfakes. He mentioned working on a solution similar to a watermark to track content from creation to distribution.

Ghaith Mahmood, a partner at law firm Latham & Watkins, highlighted the legal implications of deepfakes, citing the recent passage of the Elvis Act in Tennessee. This act protects individuals’ voice rights and prohibits the distribution of AI-generated content without permission.

Overall, the panelists stressed the importance of proactive measures to address the challenges posed by AI in the entertainment industry. With the potential for deepfakes to deceive audiences and infringe on individuals’ rights, industry stakeholders are urged to work together to establish safeguards and regulations to protect against misuse of AI technology.