Zelda Williams, daughter of the late comedic legend Robin Williams, has recently expressed her concerns regarding AI-generated videos of her father. These posts were shared on her Instagram story. Zelda urged her followers to cease sending these digital recreations, clarifying that such content is neither appreciated nor desired.
Zelda’s Plea Against AI Videos
“Please, just stop sending me AI videos of Dad,” Zelda stated clearly. She emphasized that these creations do not reflect her wishes or those of her father. Instead, she described them as a misrepresentation of his legacy.
The Impact on Legacy
Zelda articulated her frustration, stating that the reduction of real people’s legacies into synthetic representations is deeply troubling. She criticized the trend of using AI to mimic iconic figures, calling it “maddening.” According to her, these digital versions do not create art; rather, they make “disgusting, over-processed hotdogs out of the lives of human beings.”
- Concern for Human Representation: Zelda believes that AI models churn out poor imitations rather than respecting the individual’s true essence.
- Art vs. AI Recreation: She distinguishes genuine art from the regurgitated content produced by AI.
Previous Statements on AI Recreation
This isn’t the first time Zelda has voiced her discontent with AI portraits of her father. In 2023, during the SAG-AFTRA strike addressing AI recreations as a bargaining issue, she labeled it “personally disturbing.” Her remarks highlighted the ethical implications of using AI for recreating performances by actors who can no longer consent.
Call for Ethical Considerations
Zelda stressed that living actors deserve the opportunity to make choices about their artistic expressions. The AI replicas, she argued, deprive them of this right. “At best, these recreations are poor facsimiles,” she warned, “but at worst, they turn into horrendous parodies.”
In her posts, Zelda implored the industry and the general public to reconsider the implications of using AI in this manner. She emphasized the importance of humanity in performance, urging respect for the legacies of artists like her father.
