Scarlett Johansson is speaking out against artificial intelligence after she and other celebs were featured in a fake viral video opposing Kanye West’s recent antisemitic social media posts.
“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,” Johansson, 40, said in a statement to People on Wednesday, February 12, without mentioning West, 47, by name.
“I am a Jewish woman who has no tolerance for antisemitism or hate speech of any kind,” she continued. “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.”
In the social media video, Johansson and other Jewish celebrities such as Jerry Seinfeld, Steven Spielberg, David Schwimmer, Lisa Kudrow, Mila Kunis and Adam Sandler were shown wearing T-shirts featuring a Star of David inside an outline of a hand giving the middle finger with West’s name underneath. The fake clip was seemingly created in response to West advertising Yeezy T-shirts featuring a swastika in a Super Bowl ad earlier this week.
“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,” Johansson said in her statement. “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. 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.”
She concluded her statement by urging lawmakers to pass legislation limiting the use of AI, calling it a “bipartisan issue that enormously affects the immediate future of humanity at large.”
In addition to the T-shirt, West has recently come under fire for sharing several antisemitic posts via X, in which he praised Hitler and claimed he had “dominion” over his wife, Bianca Censori. In the wake of the controversy, the rapper was dropped by his talent agency, 33&West, and had his X account deactivated.
Additionally, West’s Yeezy website was shut down on Tuesday, February 11, after violating Shopify’s terms of service. TMZ also reported on Tuesday that West is being sued by a former Yeezy employee who claims she was fired after complaining about antisemitism. (Luxury Handbag Shopping reached out to West’s rep for comment about the lawsuit.)
Johansson is not the first celebrity to publicly condemn West’s recent online actions. “Hey friends, can you please unfollow Kanye?” Isla Fisher, whose estranged husband, Sacha Baron Cohen, was featured in the AI video, wrote in a since-expired Instagram post, per multiple outlets. “Did you know this is the only thing for sale on his website after placing a Super Bowl commercial? F— this monster forever. No Tolerance for this s—.”
Schwimmer, 58, slammed West in an Instagram post of his own on Saturday, February 8, writing, “Kanye West has 32.7 million followers on your platform, X. That’s twice as many people than the number of Jews in existence. His sick hate speech results in REAL LIFE violence against Jews. … Silence is complicity.”
