A fake advert that appears to be fronted by Tom Hanks is actually fake artificial intelligence (AI).

There’s a video out there promoting some dental plan with an AI version of me, he wrote.

“I have nothing to do with it.” he said.

High-profile Hollywood actors and writers have recently struck over the “artistic challenge” AI poses.

Deepfakes have become increasingly realistic as AI systems have grown in power and sophistication.

Celebrities – including Martin Lewis, the consumer financial expert – have used their likeness in deepfakes.

To make it easier to prosecute pornographers, the government tightened the law in England and Wales to crack down on deepfakes.

Misinformation online is also exacerbated by fake AI images and videos. Volodymyr Zelensky, the current leader of Ukraine, and Donald Trump were among those targeted.

Earlier this year, Google announced it would require any political ads on its platform to disclose if they were AI-generated.

AI video manipulation can also be used in non-controversial ways – for instance, the pioneering Abba virtual concerts.

Hanks discussed AI’s potential for extending the careers of performers on the Adam Buxton podcast in May.

We saw this coming, we saw that zeros and ones inside a computer could be turned into a face and a character. That has grown a billion-fold since then, and we see it everywhere.

“AI or deepfake technology has allowed anyone to recreate themselves at any age. I could be hit by a bus tomorrow, but performances can go on forever.”

The Last of Us and Stranger Things were among the shows affected by strikes resulting from fears about being displaced by AI.

WGA, which represents screenwriters, recently reached a tentative agreement with studio bosses.

The unresolved actor dispute is also partly motivated by fears that AI will result in fewer acting jobs.