LeBron James Legal Team Moves to Halt Viral AI Pregnancy Videos
LeBron James’ legal representatives have taken action against the spread of AI-generated videos featuring the NBA icon. Reports indicate that a law firm representing James issued a cease and desist letter to the creator of an AI platform that enabled Discord users to produce manipulated videos of James and other basketball stars.
Among the many AI clips circulating online, one bizarre video appears to have triggered the legal response. The clip, which gained millions of views on Instagram, depicts a pregnant LeBron James being placed into an ambulance while telling an AI-generated Steph Curry to hurry because their baby is being born.
Several Instagram accounts sharing the video have since been removed, though the clip remains accessible on X. The founder of the AI tool used to create the videos confirmed receiving the cease and desist but did not disclose its contents. It is unclear whether Meta, Instagram’s parent company, was also contacted regarding the video’s removal.
James is not the only celebrity facing unwanted AI impersonations. Scammers frequently use deepfake technology to mimic public figures, promoting fraudulent schemes. Similar incidents have involved fabricated endorsements from Elon Musk and Fox News personalities on Facebook. Actress Jamie Lee Curtis recently called out Mark Zuckerberg to remove deepfake ads falsely featuring her.
However, the AI videos of James differ from typical scams. Rather than pushing products, they seem designed as absurdist humor meant to go viral, reflecting the broader trend of AI-generated nonsense flooding social media. Despite efforts to curb such content, AI tools still make it alarmingly easy to create misleading or bizarre depictions of public figures.
When tested, several AI chatbots initially refused to generate images of a pregnant LeBron James, citing policy violations. Yet, when given a photo of James and instructed to alter it, Google’s Gemini produced a short clip showing him with a pregnant belly. Meta AI also readily generated multiple variations of the same concept.
While these AI creations lack the polish of the viral video, they demonstrate how easily users can bypass safeguards. As deepfake technology advances, celebrities like James may struggle to prevent the spread of unauthorized and often ridiculous AI content. The incident underscores the ongoing challenge of regulating AI misuse while balancing creative expression and privacy rights.
