Zelda Williams Condemns AI Recreations of Robin Williams as "Gross" and "Disgusting" Zelda Williams, daughter of the late comedian and actor Robin Williams, has publicly denounced the proliferation of AI-generated videos depicting her father. In a recent Instagram story, Williams urged fans to cease sending her these recreations, labeling them "gross," a "waste of time," and contrary to what her father would have wanted.

Daughter's Plea: "Stop Doing This To Him" "Please, just stop sending me AI videos of Dad," Zelda Williams wrote. "Stop believing I wanna see it or that I'll understand, I don't and I won't. If you're just trying to troll me, I've seen way worse, I'll restrict and move on. But please, if you've got any decency, just stop doing this to him and to me, to everyone even, full stop. It's dumb, it's a waste of time and energy, and believe me, it's NOT what he'd want."

Williams further criticized the practice of using AI to resurrect deceased artists, stating, "To watch the legacies of real people be condensed down to 'this vaguely looks and sounds like them so that's enough', just so other people can churn out horrible TikTok slop puppeteering them is maddening. You're not making art, you're making disgusting, over-processed hotdogs out of the lives of human beings, out of the history of art and music, and then shoving them down someone else's throat hoping they'll give you a little thumbs up and like it. Gross."

Echoes of Past Concerns This is not the first time Zelda Williams has voiced her concerns about AI recreations of her father. During the SAG-AFTRA strike of 2023, she spoke out against AI's ability to create and recreate actors without their consent, calling it "personally disturbing."

"I am not an impartial voice in SAG’s fight against AI," she wrote on Instagram at the time. "I’ve witnessed for YEARS how many people want to train these models to create/recreate actors who cannot consent, like Dad. This isn’t theoretical, it is very very real."

She added, "I’ve already heard AI used to get his 'voice' to say whatever people want and while I find it personally disturbing, the ramifications go far beyond my own feelings. Living actors deserve a chance to create characters with their choices, to voice cartoons, to put their HUMAN effort and time into the pursuit of performance. These recreations are, at their very best, a poor facsimile of greater people, but at their worst, a horrendous Frankensteinian monster, cobbled together from the worst bits of everything this industry is, instead of what it should stand for."

Ethical and Legal Implications The use of AI to recreate deceased celebrities raises significant ethical and legal questions, particularly regarding consent, intellectual property rights, and the potential for misuse. Dr. Emily Carter, a professor of media ethics at the University of Southern California, commented on the growing trend, stating, "While AI offers exciting possibilities for entertainment, it's crucial to consider the ethical implications of recreating individuals, especially without their consent or the consent of their estate. The potential for misrepresentation and the exploitation of a deceased person's image are serious concerns that need to be addressed through clear legal frameworks."

The Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) has been at the forefront of advocating for protections against the unauthorized use of AI in entertainment. The union's recent contract negotiations included provisions aimed at safeguarding actors' digital likenesses and ensuring fair compensation for AI-generated performances. However, the legal landscape surrounding AI and intellectual property remains complex and evolving.

Hollywood's History with Digital Resurrection The debate surrounding AI recreations taps into a longer history of Hollywood grappling with the digital resurrection of performers. In the past, techniques like CGI and deepfakes have been used to bring deceased actors back to the screen, often sparking controversy. For example, the use of a CGI-recreated Peter Cushing in "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story" generated considerable discussion about the ethics of digitally reviving actors without their prior consent.

A Call for Respect and Originality Zelda Williams's impassioned plea underscores the emotional toll that these AI recreations can take on the families of deceased performers. It also serves as a reminder of the importance of respecting the legacy of artists and prioritizing originality and creativity in the entertainment industry. As AI technology continues to advance, it is imperative that the industry establishes clear ethical guidelines and legal protections to prevent the exploitation of deceased individuals and ensure the rights of living performers.