Matt Connarton Unleashed: Tom Hanks warns us about deepfakes

0:00 Speaker 1: Before we hit the top of the hour, because we do talk on the show a lot about AI and concerns people have about AI and eye. Yeah, this is

0:14 Speaker 1: trying to click this link here. This is something that you brought to my attention. Yeah, this is from BuzzFeed. Don't be swindled. Here's why Tom Hanks issued a public service announcement about some AI ads. It says Tom Hanks. Yeah, yeah, he says. Tom Hanks has issued a strong statement against medical ads made with AI that fraudulently uses his name, likeness, and voice. In an Instagram post on Thursday, the actor made what he called the public service announcement and captioned the statement extra extra read all about it.

0:46 Speaker 1: There are multiple ads over the internet falsely using my name, likeness, and voice promoting Miracle cure and Wonder drugs, he wrote. While Hanks didn't specify which specific medical ads he was opposing, he clarified, quote, these ads have been created without my consent, fraudulently and through AI. I have nothing to do with these posts, or the products and treatments, or the spokespeople touting these cures unquote. Hanks revealed in twenty thirteen that he has type two diabetes and noted in his Instagram posts that he only works with board certified doctors regarding his treatment.

1:19 Speaker 1: He handed his statement with three directives, don't be fooled, don't be swindled, and don't lose your hard earned money.

1:25 Speaker 2: And this is again what we've been talking about a lot recently, is about people controlling their own images and likenesses. Yeah, you know, and as AI becomes more and more prevalent, is going to be more and more of these type of situations where you really get to be careful.

1:41 Speaker 1: Yeah.

1:41 Speaker 2: I mean, it looks like them, it sounds like them, but it's not them, right, and that's scary. Yeah, but you know what, you really shouldn't be taking medical advice from any ad. I In my perfect world, medical ads don't exist because they are not helpful. They try to they convince people they need stuff they don't need, or they need things that cost more money than they don't really need. Like, there's no good reason for this. Your doctor can tell you what you need. You don't need an ad on TV trying to force feed you you must take this pill.

2:13 Speaker 2: Your life will be better if you just take this pill, right, you know, at the magic pill the snake oil salesman has always existed and will always exist in our society. Is just now they're coming in the form of AI, which makes it even scarier because you can't tell the difference.

2:31 Speaker 1: Yeah, although when it comes to voices, it seems to me that, I mean, you could do that anyway, you like. You don't need AI to replicate someone's voice. You just need someone who can do a good impression.

2:44 Speaker 2: Right, But this isn't that. This is them replicating his likeness, his image.

2:48 Speaker 1: Right right, Well, yeah, his image.

2:50 Speaker 2: It looks like he's saying these things and he's endorsing them and saying, Look, Tom Anks says this pill is great for you, so I'll take it too, because you know, he's a great guy. He's so wholesome and nice, and we love Tom Hanks, so we must trust Tom Hanks. And so if you don't want to feel that way, then listen to heat his words, because he's telling you it's not him. He didn't give him permission. And these companies shouldn't be able to do that, but they're getting away with it because we don't have strong enough laws to control AI, to protect artists and entertainers, so they can control their images and how they're seen and what's coming out of their mouths, because they can make you say anything, right.

3:31 Speaker 1: Yeah, I felt from the beginning when I, uh, the first time I ever saw Tom Hanks and in that TV show Bosom Buddies, I thought, I trust this man, Peter Sculleri not so much terrible. Remember that show bos and Buddies.

3:47 Speaker 2: I do. I loved that show.

3:49 Speaker 1: Yes, yes, I love.

3:50 Speaker 2: But you know, when I think of Tom Hanks, I always think about Bubba Gums Shrimp. Now. Oh yes, I got to go to a bubble Gum shrimp restaurant in Minnesota and they had like a like that. They had his suit, white suit with the suitcase, and had all kinds and of course they were running the movie but they had all kinds of memorabilia and stuff there, and I of course got the jenny, which was shrimp and salmon. Yes, but no, I mean yeah, I mean he's he's a great People look at Tom Hanks and they see a trusted person.

4:28 Speaker 2: So when you think you seeing him telling you this is a great pill, I take it you should too. It's easy to fall prey to that.

4:37 Speaker 1: Oh of course, yeah, absolutely.

4:40 Speaker 2: But as technology continues to grow. We need to grow laws to protect artists.

4:47 Speaker 1: What would be the worst is if you start seeing this kind of thing with somebody like Morgan Freeman, because isn't he I mean, would you say, Morgan Freeman one of the most trusted voices to a point, you know, but.

5:01 Speaker 2: If he doesn't say certain words, I don't know that anybody believed that it was him, and you can't say those words.

5:05 Speaker 1: So Morgan Freeman.

5:07 Speaker 2: Oh wait, wrong, wrong guy, I mixed.

5:09 Speaker 1: You're thinking of Samuel L. Jackson.

5:10 Speaker 2: I was, yes, yes, I had him in my head for some reason.

5:13 Speaker 1: He's not always a potty mouth. I see him in commercials where he keeps it cleaned. But uh no, Morgan Freeman. Though everyone everyone trusts Morgan Freeman, how can you not