In a recent episode of the Joe Rogan Experience podcast, Joe Rogan discussed Bruce Willis’s situation, who retired from movies and public life due to a diagnosis of aphasia progressing to frontotemporal dementia. Rogan mentioned that Willis had reportedly sold the rights to his likeness to a US-based deepfake company called Deepcake.
Rogan expressed his opinion on Willis’s decision, stating, “Bruce Willis has a neurological condition… sorry, likeness for the purpose of AI. In his position, I mean, he is incapable of making money anymore.” He explained that Willis had sold his likeness to the AI company, allowing them to create a ‘digital twin’ of him for use in advertisements and other content.
Reports suggested that Deepcake did not actually own Willis’s likeness but had created ads in partnership with Willis’s representatives at CAA. Willis would still need to approve future uses of his digital twin. Rogan mentioned that the ads featured a younger version of Willis, and he discussed Willis’s reported struggle with dementia.
In a previous episode of the podcast, Rogan had expressed sadness about Willis’s condition, noting videos where Willis appeared to be struggling. He mentioned that Willis had reportedly sold the rights to his voice as well, allowing the deepfake company to use it for various purposes.
The conversation on the podcast touched on the concept of digital immortality through AI technology, with the guest, Dr. Michio Kaku, discussing a future where individuals can be ‘digitized’ for preservation of their digital personas. The overall discussion highlighted the intersection of technology, entertainment, and health issues, especially regarding the use of AI and deepfake technology.
