AI-generated fake ad using Whoopi Goldberg's likeness to sell weight-loss drug

What happened

An AI-generated advertisement featuring a deepfaked video of Whoopi Goldberg endorsing a weight-loss drug circulated on Instagram. The fake ad was created by taking footage from a CBS Sunday Morning appearance and using AI to generate mouth movements, making it appear that Goldberg was promoting the drug.

Reported impact

Goldberg warned viewers not to fall for the scam and publicly stated she had no involvement with the ad. She emphasized that she does not endorse products without explicitly saying so, and clarified that she only uses Mounjaro, not the product being advertised in the fake ad.

Classification

Organizations

Whoopi Goldberg (victim), ABC, CBS

Category

Misinformation and synthetic media

Industry

Media, social platforms and marketing

Country

United States

Harm status

Potential harm

Intent

Intentional

Timing

Unknown

Harm types

Economic or property, Reputational

Harmed

Consumers

Failure modes

Deepfake image, Deepfake video, Manipulation or dark pattern

AI systems

AI video synthesis tool

Sources and evidence

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