As of late, Kanye West has been making headlines once again for inflammatory statements aimed at Jewish people. The rapper recently went on a social media rant on X and shared antisemitic sentiments along with comments on the #MeToo Movement, Sean Combs and more. In the time since those posts went live (and were deleted), an AI-generated video has been making the rounds and depicts Scarlett Johansson and other stars advocating against West. Now, Johannson has issued a response.
The video – which went viral on X – specifically shows virtually generated versions of Jewish stars in a black-and-white setting, wearing shirts that have Kanye’s name and a hand (with the Star of David at its center) holding up the middle finger. David Schwimmer, Jerry Seinfeld, Natalie Portman and Drake are among the A-listers depicted in the clip. The first person highlighted, however, is Scarlett Johansson. In a statement shared with People, Johansson voiced support for the Jewish community but denounced the use of A.I. here:
It has been brought to my attention by family members and friends, that an A.I.-generated video featuring my likeness, in response to an antisemitic view, has been circulating online and gaining traction. I am a Jewish woman who has no tolerance for antisemitism or hate speech of any kind. But I also firmly believe that the potential for hate speech multiplied by A.I. is a far greater threat than any one person who takes accountability for it. We must call out the misuse of A.I., no matter its messaging, or we risk losing a hold on reality.
Artificial intelligence has been a hot-button topic within Hollywood for the last several years now, as studios look to utilize it for film and TV productions in varying ways. More than a few actors have voiced concerns about that, including Nicolas Cage, who said he was “terrified” by the fact that someone owns his likeness. A few others have defended the use of such tech, with Ashton Kutcher even going viral for discussing its potential. As for the Sing alum, she still has her misgivings about it, in part due to her personal experiences:
I have unfortunately been a very public victim of A.I., but the truth is that the threat of A.I. affects each and every one of us. There is a 1000-foot wave coming regarding A.I. that several progressive countries, not including the United States, have responded to in a responsible manner.
The Black Widow star was roped into an A.I.-related situation back in May 2024, when OpenAI developed a personal voice assistant that sounded similar to her voice. At that time, the actress’ legal team sent letters, asking that the company divulge how it developed the voice. Company CEO Sam Altman initially denied any connection, before dropping the voice entirely, though it was later reported that the exec had approached the starlet months earlier with a proposal to use her voice for the assistant. She also said in her recent statement:
It is terrifying that the U.S. government is paralyzed when it comes to passing legislation that protects all of its citizens against the imminent dangers of A.I.
At this point, artificial intelligence is being used in a myriad of ways and not just by entertainment companies. Fans across social media have utilized it as a tool as well. In some cases, they involve massive IPs, and such recreations or alterations can draw responses from the actual creatives involved with certain franchises. In the fall of 2024, Superman director James Gunn blasted a fan-made poster which was created with the help of A.I. Wicked star Cynthia Erivo also denounced a poster that a fan altered, calling it “the wildest, most offensive thing I have seen.”
Right now, it remains unclear whether or not the video that uses Scarlett Johansson and other stars’ likenesses will be scrubbed from the web. It’s also worth noting that Kanye West, who ultimately deactivated his X account, has yet to respond to the footage.
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