American singing legend Dionne Warwick caught the public’s attention after some choice words on AI use and celebrity AI endorsements. Posted on April 19, the six-time Grammy award winner made a point to voice her distaste for AI-generated images of herself.
In one of the AI images, she’s seen in a hospital holding a sign that says, “I’m Battling Cancer—Pray to God for Me.” In another image, she’s arguing with a surprised Whoopi Goldberg on the popular talk show The View. There’s also a false documentary poster for Netflix showing Warwick standing in a packed stadium with a huge screen of her own face. A similar packed stadium image has her holding a placard that reads “DO YOU WANT ME TO PERFORM AT THE WORLD CUP? BE HONEST WITH ME.”
Warwick posted on X, “Influential people are praising AI as a wonderful tool we should all embrace. On Facebook I have been to the hospital, the World Cup, cussed out Whoopi Goldberg, and I have a Netflix documentary. Wonderful, sure.”
The “Walk on By” singer added a sarcastic ‘wonderful,’ bashing the use of her likeness in AI content.
This isn’t the first time Warwick has made her dislike for AI known. When talking to The Daily Mail in 2023, she said she would never work with or produce AI-generated music.
“Dionne was asked if she would ever use AI technologies to duet with old pals, to which she simply replied: ‘No. I wouldn’t.’”
Though she never names the specific “influential people,” outlets are having a field day figuring out who she’s referring to.
Oscar-winning actress Sandra Bullock quickly became one of them. Appearing at the CNBC Changemakers Summit, Bullock embraced AI in response to the intersection of AI-generated content and Hollywood.
Bullock was asked this in anticipation for Practical Magic 2, set to release this fall. Once made public, fans were quick to spread AI-generated trailers of the film.
When asked if it was “weird” to have her likeness used for that content, she responded “…[AI] is here… We have to lean into it. We have to use it in a really constructive and creative way… I mean, we have to be incredibly cautious and aware of it because there are people who will use it for evil… But I do feel that there’s a place for it… It’s here. We have to just be friends in some dark way.”
Another name in Warwick’s shadow is Reese Witherspoon. The Legally Blonde star posted on Instagram on April 16, encouraging more widespread AI use. “Well…I’ve decided it’s TIME for me to learn more. The AI revolution has begun, and I need to learn as much as I possibly can about AI…”
Users quickly pushed back against Witherspoon, who responded again on Instagram: “Well, I guess my AI post got people talking.”
Witherspoon defended herself, saying she’s “just a curious human,” who doesn’t believe that “computers should replace humanity.”
She previously commented on the state of AI in the filmmaking industry in a September interview with Glamour. “It’s so, so important that women are involved in AI…because it will be the future of filmmaking. And you can be sad and lament it all you want, but the change is here.”
Warwick’s comments broaden the greater distaste for AI use in not only the entertainment industry, but every aspect of life. Comments from her latest perspective are praising her for calling out AI use and those who support it.
Whether it’s about learning more about AI or leaning into it, public sentiment is pretty clear: Dionne Warwick is right.
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