SAG-AFTRA Slammed For Condemning AI After Taylor Swift Photo Scandal Went Viral

Taylor Swift's sexualized AI-generated photos and images went viral on social media, sparking a fury of criticism against its creators and the usage of Artificial Intelligence, in general.

Since the photos spread like wildfire on social media, the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) has released a statement condemning the use of the said technology, which online users thought was a knee-jerk reaction.

Taylor Swift AI Photos Scandal

A number of sexual Taylor Swift AI photos have been all over social media in the past few days, leading to the Swiftie initiative - #ProtectTaylorSwift. X-rated photos of Swift at a Kansas City Chiefs game posing lewd and offensive poses have been generated through Artificial Intelligence deepfakes.

Swifties have started an initiative of flooding the timeline with positivities about the singer and even callouts on people who purposely retweet or repost them to malign her.

According to a The Daily Mail source, Taylor Swift is considering pursuing legal action against the proliferation of sexual AI photos of her on social media.

"Whether or not legal action will be taken is being decided but there is one thing that is clear: these fake AI generated images are abusive, offensive, exploitative, and done without Taylor's consent and/or knowledge," the source emphasized. "The Twitter account that posted them does not exist anymore. It is shocking that the social media platform even let them be up to begin with."

The insider also reiterated that these Taylor Swift sexual AI photos "must be removed from everywhere they exist and should not be promoted."

SAG-AFTRA Statement On AI Use

Earlier this week, the SAG-AFTRA released a statement about the usage of Artificial Intelligence in disseminating obscene images like the ones generated for Swift.

"The development and dissemination of fake images - especially those of a lewd nature - without someone's consent must be made illegal. As a society, we have it in our power to control these technologies, but we must act now before it is too late."

However, online users were quick to slam the union for giving such a knee-jerk reaction when in fact, the pressing AI sentiment has been around ever since the historic actors' strike in 2023.

Big studios and companies have lobbied for the use of AI in replicating human actors in television and in film. Thankfully, actors and writers have successfully struck this out in their new contract with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP).

Ironically, in 2023, they publicly supported the use of Artificial Intelligence in the same media and even introduced a groundbreaking collaboration in using AI voice acting.

"The switch up from SAG-AFTRA as if they haven't been using AI generated images and supporting AI voices...," a user wrote on Twitter/X.

"SAG/AFTRA, after weeks of laying in bed with an AI voice bank that could eventually put an entire sector of the industry they cover out of work, calling for regulation of AI after an A-lister was targeted," another tweeted.

Tags

Taylor Swift, SAG