Deepfake Ads Featuring Celebrities Spark Controversy and Calls for Regulation

Misleading advertisements using deepfake technology to falsely endorse a self-help course have led to widespread criticism and a push for stricter laws.

• Celebrities including Piers Morgan, Nigella Lawson, and Oprah Winfrey have criticized the use of AI deepfake technology in online adverts falsely suggesting their endorsement of a controversial self-help course.
• The adverts promoted the 'Genie Script', a centerpiece of a manifestation course sold by Wesley 'Billion Dollar' Virgin, which falsely claimed to be a 'missing' Hebrew Bible scripture.
• YouTube and Meta have taken down the misleading adverts, citing policies against deceptive media, while celebrities and experts call for regulatory intervention to combat harmful deepfakes.
• The controversy has ignited an ethical debate over the use of AI in advertising, highlighting the technology's potential for misuse in creating convincingly deceptive content.
• Over 850 AI experts and advocates have called for new laws to combat harmful deepfakes, suggesting penalties for creators of deceptive content.

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