Zelda Williams Slams AI Deepfakes of Robin Williams: ‘Stop Doing This to Him’
Robin Williams’ daughter is speaking out against AI-generated videos of her late father, urging people to stop sharing them, according to the Guardian. In posts on her Instagram stories, Zelda Williams wrote: “Stop doing this to him and to me, to everyone even, full stop. It’s dumb, it’s a waste of time and energy, and believe me, it’s NOT what he’d want.” Williams, the beloved comedian and actor, died by suicide in 2014.
Zelda, an actor and director herself, compared the AI videos to “over-processed hotdogs” that turn real people’s legacies into hollow imitations designed for quick online reactions. She has previously addressed this issue: two years ago, she supported the Screen Actors Guild’s campaign against AI clones and spoke about her discomfort at hearing her father’s “voice” used by AI to say things he never would. She described the practice as “Frankensteinian” and “disturbing,” noting that it raises serious questions about consent and artistic integrity beyond personal offense. Screenshots of her recent posts are available via Deadline.
Her warning comes amid a surge of AI-generated deepfakes circulating on social media, often involving celebrities in fake endorsements or viral political statements. Recent Robin Williams deepfakes—produced with OpenAI’s video generator Sora—have appeared on TikTok, including a fake Apple ad and a staged scene with Betty White, who has also passed away.
OpenAI says content owners can report copyright concerns, but there is currently no simple way for artists to prevent themselves from being digitally recreated. The company has pledged to work with rights holders to block or remove content as requested. However, not everyone connected to Robin Williams opposes AI renderings of him. Entertainment Weekly reports that Matthew Lawrence, Williams’ co-star in 1993’s Mrs. Doubtfire, has expressed interest in reviving the actor’s voice through AI—and even suggested that Williams could “be the voice of AI.”
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