MrBeast Exposes AI Deepfake Scam
MrBeast has urged social media platforms to tackle a surge in AI deepfakes after fraudsters posted a phony video version of him to scam his millions of followers.
The Deceptive TikTok Scam
The world’s most popular YouTuber sounded the alarm over a scam posting on TikTok that appeared to show him offering free iPhone 15s to followers who clicked on a link.
AI-Generated Avatar
But criminals had used Artificial Intelligence to create an animated avatar, virtually indistinguishable from the real thing.
Concerns Echoed by Celebrities
The scam came to light just days after actor Tom Hanks and CNBS host Gayle King lashed out at deepfake images of themselves which advertisers created without permission.
MrBeast’s Twitter Warning
‘Lots of people are getting this deepfake scam ad of me,’ tweeted MrBeast, real name James Donaldson, to his 24 million followers on Twitter, formerly X.
A Convincing Deception
The bogus video appeared to show the influencer in a pink hoodie and black cap speaking persuasively to camera as subtitles ran underneath.
Fake iPhone 15 Giveaway
‘If you’re watching this video, you’re one of the 10,000 lucky people who’ll get an iPhone 15 Pro for just $2.
MrBeast’s Authenticity
“I’m MrBeast and I’m doing the world’s largest iPhone 15 giveaway, click the link below to claim yours now!”
MrBeast’s Impact on YouTube
The 25-year-old from Witchita, Kansas, has amassed 188 million subscribers on YouTube and more than 50 billion views since he started posting in 2012.
Charitable Ventures and Success
By 2018 he was donating $100,000 worth of products to a homeless shelter, and he has since repeated the dose to an Uber driver, a waitress, and people in parking lots.
Diverse Ventures and Earnings
In one video, he dropped $20,000 out of a drone and gave a pizza man the house he was delivering to as a tip.
A 14-time winner of the internet’s Streamy Awards he has branched out into smartphone apps, video game tournaments, restaurants, and his own food range earning an estimated $500 million in the process.
AI’s Role in Hollywood Labor Disputes
The use of AI was at the heart of the 148-day screenwriters strike which paralyzed Hollywood earlier this summer in one of the first major labor battles over AI in the workplace.
Concerns of Actors and Celebrities
But actors too are terrified over being replaced if studios use the technology to create new films from previous performances, while celebrities could discover virtual versions of themselves endorsing products they have never heard of.
Tom Hanks and Gayle King’s Experiences
Hanks, 67, posted to his 9.5 million followers on Instagram to warn them about a dentist’s advert that had been created using a younger version of himself.
King’s Displeasure with Manipulated Footage
King, 68, was furious about a post which manipulated real footage of her radio show to make it appear she was endorsing weight-loss products from a company called Artipet.
Legal Actions Against AI Use
In July it emerged that Sarah Silverman hopes to sue Meta and Chat GPT’s parent company Open AI over claims their AI language models were trained on her copyrighted material.
Authors Guild’s Lawsuit Against Open AI
And earlier this month, several high-profile authors including George R.R. Martin and Jodi Picoult partnered with The Authors Guild and announced they are suing Open AI for the same reason.
Existential Threat to Writing Industry
The Guild organized the class action lawsuit amid fears it could ‘decimate’ the writing professions. Memory Man author David Baldacci, who is among the authors suing, also warned the use of AI in this way poses an ‘existential threat’ to the ind
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