Robin Williams' daughter has spoken out about AI recreations of her father, claiming they have left her "disturbed".
Zelda Williams, the daughter of the late actor, has voiced her concerns on social media regarding the unsettling nature of artificial intelligence in recreating her father's likeness.
This statement comes in the wake of a recent strike by Hollywood writers, who sought better wages and job stability while also demanding protections against the increasing use of AI in the entertainment industry.
Zelda took to her Instagram stories to emphasize the urgency of reaching an agreement that protects actors and grants them authority over the use of AI in their profession.
In her statement, she pointed out the reasons behind the SAG-AFTRA strike, which mirror some of the issues raised by the WGA.
"I've witnessed for YEARS how many people want to train these models to create/ recreate actors who cannot consent, like Dad," Zelda said.
She continued: "This isn't theoretical, it is very very real. 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."
On May 2, Hollywood writers embarked on a strike to advocate for improved minimum pay and more reliable working conditions. Their demands included measures to safeguard against the encroachment of artificial intelligence in their field.
The strike, which lasted for several months, led to negotiations and an agreement between the Writers Guild of America (WGA) and industry stakeholders regarding the use of AI.
However, the Screen Actors Guild American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA), which had joined the strike in July, has yet to reach a resolution with the industry.
Throughout the strikes, some of Hollywood's highest earns were on hand to offer financial support to those who would be financially impacted.
Courtney B. Vance and Cyd Wilson, who hold the positions of president and executive director respectively within SAG-AFTRA, issued a letter to the union's highest-earning actors. In this letter, they highlighted the financial challenges that many members would face due to the work stoppage.
According to Variety, Wilson stated: "We rely on donations and grants to provide services – we have been very fortunate that we raised enough money to be able to cover all of our programs. But when we hit a crisis like this and we’re going to spend millions and millions of dollars in financial assistance, this is when we need our high-profile talent who can afford it, who are in a situation to help others."
Subsequent to the distribution of this letter, Vance and Wilson disclosed that they received a phone call from none other than Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson, who expressed his willingness to offer assistance.
"It was a love fest. It’s like, 'Man, you’re stepping up in a way that is allowing others to know the dire necessity of it'," Vance remarked. "This is him saying, 'In such a time as this, I’m here and I’m not going anywhere, whatever you need me to do.' And that sends a huge message to other folks to do the same thing."
While the precise amount of the donation remains undisclosed, reports indicate that it constitutes a "record" seven-figure sum.