Zelda Williams Calls for Halt to AI Videos of Deceased Father
amsterdam, dinsdag, 7 oktober 2025.
Zelda Williams, daughter of the late actor Robin Williams, is calling for an end to the creation and sharing of AI-generated videos of her father. She describes these practices as painful and inappropriate, and urges greater respect for the privacy and memories of her father. Zelda emphasises that these videos are ‘horrible TikTok slop puppeteering’ and ‘disgusting, over-processed hotdogs out of the lives of human beings.’
Zelda Williams Calls for Halt to AI Videos
Zelda Williams, daughter of the late actor Robin Williams, has made an urgent appeal to fans and creators to stop making and sharing AI-generated videos of her father. She describes these practices as painful and inappropriate, and calls for greater respect for the privacy and memories of her father. Zelda emphasises that these videos are ‘horrible TikTok slop puppeteering’ and ‘disgusting, over-processed hotdogs out of the lives of human beings.’ [1][2][3]
Frustration and Pain
On 5 October 2025, Zelda Williams wrote on Instagram: ‘Please, just stop sending me AI videos of Dad. Stop believing I wanna see it or that I’ll understand, I don’t and I won’t.’ She describes watching the legacies of real people being reduced to AI-generated content as ‘maddening.’ [1][2][3]
Previous Criticism
This is not the first time Zelda Williams has criticised AI recreations of her father. In 2023, she supported the Screen Actors Guild’s campaign against AI. Celebrities such as Scarlett Johansson have also warned of the ‘imminent dangers of AI,’ including the spread of deepfakes on social media. [1][2][3]
Growth of Deepfakes
Celebrity deepfakes are spreading further on social media, including pornographic content, political messages, fraud, and advertisements. Recently, multiple videos of Robin Williams have appeared on TikTok, created using OpenAI’s new video-generator app, Sora 2, including a fake advertisement for Apple and an interaction at an awards show with the late Betty White. [1][2][3]
Ethical Implications
The trend of low-quality AI-generated content is driven by the rapid growth of free-to-use generative AI apps. These practices raise ethical questions about using AI to simulate deceased individuals without their consent. Zelda Williams stresses the need for legislation to limit the use of AI technology in this context. [1][2][3]
Reactions and Future Plans
Matthew Lawrence, who played Robin Williams’ onscreen son in Mrs. Doubtfire, expressed interest in reviving Williams’ voice with AI, with the family’s permission. However, Zelda Williams has clearly stated that she will take steps to implement stricter rules, working with organisations and legislators. [2][3]
Impact of Sora 2
OpenAI launched the latest version of its AI video-generator, Sora 2, on 3 October 2025. Within hours, social feeds were filled with videos containing violence, racism, and sexual content, in violation of OpenAI’s terms of service. Despite Sora 2 being invite-only, it became the number one app in Apple’s App Store within three days. [4]
Expert Opinions
Joan Donovan, a professor at Boston University, states that this AI-generated content has ‘no fidelity to history’ and ‘no relationship to the truth.’ Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, acknowledged concerns about addiction, bullying, and the creation of low-quality, repetitive content (‘slop’). [4]