Al Roker, the well-known weather presenter from the TODAY Show, has become another victim of fake marketing campaigns using artificial intelligence. His image was recently used without his permission to promote a hypertension product, which was featured in a report on NBC’s morning show.
Roker became aware of the misuse of his likeness when a friend questioned the authenticity of an advertisement featuring him. “A friend of mine sent me a link and asked, ‘Is this real?’” Roker recounted in a discussion with TODAY‘s senior investigative consumer correspondent Vicky Nguyen. He continued, “I clicked the link, and suddenly, there I was, seemingly discussing how I had survived multiple heart attacks.”
He quickly realized the ad was a sham. “I don’t suffer from hypertension and I’ve never experienced a heart attack,” he clarified. Despite this, the fake was alarmingly believable. “It certainly looks like me. I can see it’s not really me, but for anyone casually watching, it appears as though Al Roker is endorsing this hypertension remedy,” he observed during the broadcast.
The phony advertisement utilized advanced “deepfake” technology, which uses AI to create highly convincing yet entirely bogus videos and audio clips. After being alerted by TODAY, Meta (Facebook’s parent company) took action, informing the show that “this page has been taken down for breaching our policies.”
Roker also mentioned that the issue is affecting more than just him. He told about several instances where celebrity friends reached out to him because their own families had fallen for the scam. These incidents underscore the potent deception capabilities of these fakes.
This problem isn’t limited to Roker. Other celebrities such as Taylor Swift, Oprah Winfrey, and Tom Hanks have been falsely depicted in AI-generated content promoting various products. Winfrey made it clear last year that she was not affiliated with any dietary supplements, stating, “I have nothing to do with weight loss gummies or diet pills.”
According to the Federal Trade Commission, scams involving impersonation, including celebrity fakes, were the most reported type of fraud in 2024, leading to consumer financial losses of over $2.9 billion.
Yoav Keren, CEO of BrandShield, a company that specializes in safeguarding brands and public figures from such impersonations, expressed concern about the ease of creating such deceptive content. “This is quickly becoming one of the largest global issues online,” Keren indicated to TODAY.
Roker voiced his worries about the implications of these increasingly sophisticated AI manipulations. “It’s scary,” he said. “The old saying ‘Seeing is believing’ no longer holds true.”
To assist the public in avoiding these scams, Nguyen suggested that viewers scrutinize videos for any inconsistencies, especially in lip synchronization, verify product claims through independent reviews before purchases, and approach social media ads with skepticism.
Despite some legislative efforts to regulate AI, Keren pointed out that the current regulatory landscape is minimal, likening it to “the wild West” with scant governmental control over these new challenges.
Hi, I’m Emily, a passionate and dedicated member of the Sherburne County Citizen team. With a keen eye for detail and a love for writing, I ensure that the latest celebrity news, major economic trends, and helpful tips for your home are presented in the most engaging and informative way possible. Fun fact: During a particularly exciting news story, I once managed to finish an article in record time, fueled solely by copious amounts of coffee and pure adrenaline!
