Oscar-winner Morgan Freeman has spoken out after the creator of Tik Tok claimed to be his “niece Nepo” by duplicating her voice with artificial intelligence.
In what the creator later said was an “obvious prank,” the TikTok account Justin's camera roll posted a video in which she claimed to be Freeman's niece. The vlog, which went viral after fooling some users on X, featured an AI-generated version of Freeman's voice describing the impactful day.
“He asked to book my credit card for what he claimed was some activity for his birthday,” the voiceover said. “Imagine my surprise when I was charged with a yacht. Basically, he embezzled.
The actor, whose distinctly soothing voice has made him a favorite in film narrations, shared a statement on social media on Friday thanking netizens who pointed out that the voice was fake.
“Thank you to my incredible fans for your vigilance and support in calling out the unauthorized use of the AI voice impersonating me,” he wrote. “Your dedication helps authenticity and integrity remain paramount. Thank you. #AI #scam #imitation #IdentityProtection.”
When the video began circulating online last week, there was a mixed reaction — some viewers thought the voiceover was authentic, while many others immediately identified it as AI and those who mocked by those who did not catch it.
On Sunday, the influencer behind the video reacted with apparent shock to Freeman's response and subsequent media attention.
“I thought it was pretty clear that it was a joke, and now Uncle Mo is mad at me,” he said in another TikTok video. “If anyone from his team is watching, I'm very sorry. I really thought it was funny.
Reps for Freeman and Justin's Camera Roll did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The story is the latest in a growing flurry of confusion and criticism — and sometimes legal trouble — surrounding the use of generative AI to copy celebrities' likenesses without their consent.
Earlier this year, Drake removed a diss track from the internet after Tupac Shakur's estate threatened to sue him for allegedly using the late rapper's AI-generated voice in the song. AI-generated advertisements have also used the likenesses of public figures such as Taylor Swift, Scarlett Johansson and MrBeast to promote various products.
While some features of AI-generated content are perceptible to human eyes and ears, such tools are rapidly improving their ability to produce highly realistic content. A viral AI-generated photo of Pope Francis in a white puffer coat fooled thousands online, while fake AI photos of Katy Perry at this year's Met Gala also tricked the pop star's mother.