Scarlett Johansson has had enough. The actress is calling on the U.S. government to step up and pass legislation to limit the use of artificial intelligence after an A.I.-generated deepfake video featuring her likeness made waves online.
In a statement to People, Johansson didn’t hold back: “It is terrifying that the U.S. government is paralyzed when it comes to passing legislation that protects all of its citizens against the imminent dangers of A.I.” And honestly, can you blame her?
The video in question? It shows Johansson alongside other Jewish celebrities like Jerry Seinfeld, Mila Kunis, Jack Black, Drake, Jake Gyllenhaal, Adam Sandler, and more, all wearing t-shirts with the word “Kanye” and an image of a middle finger featuring the Star of David. It comes after Ye (formerly Kanye West) returned to X last week, dropping antisemitic comments and selling merch with a swastika on his site—which, thankfully, has since been taken down.
Johansson, who has always been vocal about social justice issues, made her stance clear: “I am a Jewish woman who has no tolerance for antisemitism or hate speech of any kind.” But her concern goes beyond this one incident. “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.”
This isn’t Johansson’s first rodeo with A.I. drama. Back in 2023, she sued an A.I. app developer for using her name and likeness without permission in an online ad. And remember when OpenAI debuted a voice for ChatGPT that sounded eerily like Johansson’s iconic sultry tone from the movie Her? Yeah, she wasn’t having it. She called them out, and OpenAI quickly pulled the voice.
Her latest call to action raises the stakes even higher. With deepfakes becoming more convincing and easier to create, Johansson’s plea underscores the urgent need for regulation. She’s not alone in this fight, but her voice adds weight to a growing concern that A.I. technology is spiraling out of control.
So, what happens next? Johansson’s hope is that lawmakers will finally take notice and start drafting meaningful legislation. Because if we don’t act soon, distinguishing between what’s real and what’s computer-generated might become impossible. And that’s a reality none of us signed up for.