A British character actor now finds his likeness has been used in political propaganda.
During the pandemic, actor Dan Dewhirst, known for his role in Prometheus and the Netflix series ”The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance,” signed a deal with an AI startup, unknowingly entering a complex ethical minefield.
In 2022, Dewhirst, struggling like many others in the entertainment industry, was approached by Synthesia, a London-based AI company. He says they offered him payment for his likeness, which would be used to create an AI-generated avatar for video production.
Dewhirst, needing the income, agreed to the deal, not anticipating how far the technology would reach or the potential consequences of his decision.
The AI avatar was marketed as a tool for companies to create presentations or advertisements, with Synthesia assuring actors that their likenesses would not be misused.
However, Dewhirst learned that his AI avatar was being used by the Venezuelan government to spread misinformation, the Guardian reported.
His likeness appeared in propaganda videos supporting the controversial regime of Nicolás Maduro. In the videos, the AI Dewhirst speaks directly to the camera in a fabricated American accent, delivering scripted messages downplaying Venezuela’s economic struggles.
“What happened is awful, but the small comfort I take is that by telling my story I can help effect positive change,” Dewhirst said in a statement through the Equity union. “The industry needs cast iron safeguards to avoid my experience becoming endemic to our business.”
This disturbing use of AI-generated avatars in propaganda is not limited to Dewhirst.
According to the Guardian investigation, several actors and models who had similarly sold their likenesses to Synthesia have discovered their avatars being used by various authoritarian regimes.
These governments are using AI avatars of Western actors to create the appearance of international support for their rule.
Despite Synthesia’s initial promises to maintain high ethical standards, the investigation revealed that it is alarmingly easy to misuse the platform.
The ease with which these deepfake-style videos can be produced has sparked debate about the need for tighter regulations in the rapidly advancing field of AI technology.
Synthesia announced changes to its policies around AI-generated content on Oct. 10. It now says that only users with an enterprise account and a custom AI avatar will be allowed to create and distribute political content on the platform.
