Fans’ AI videos draw rebuke from Robin Williams’ daughter: 'Have some shame'

The latest clip making the rounds is billed as a “private video ” of Robin Williams . His daughter Zelda Williams jumped on X to shut it down, saying it’s an AI fake and asking people to stop passing it off as her father.

“Anyone who claims to be a fan who believes it clearly listened to his movies on mute because that voice is robotic and terrible.”

In a follow-up post, Zelda called out the accounts pushing the video and reminded followers that her dad’s memory isn’t something for strangers to puppeteer.

“It’s mostly bots and people willingly being duped by bots at this point so not sure why I feel the need to come back to clarify, but I love him, so I will. Just because he’s gone does not mean he’s now your puppet. Have some shame.”

This isn’t her first warning about AI versions of her dad. More than a year ago, Zelda and her brothers, Zak and Cody Williams, revived their father’s official social media accounts to protect his legacy, and she’s repeatedly criticized attempts to digitally recreate deceased actors who can’t give consent.

Where the industry stands on AI

The fight over AI in entertainment is complicated by the fact that some studios are already using the tech behind the scenes. Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos recently told Deadline that the streamer has leaned on generative tools to speed up certain visual work without, in his view, sacrificing quality.

“We’re leveraging Gen AI for really complicated shots and sequences… enhancing crowds, or historical battle scenes, those kind of things.”

• He said AI can help with expensive visual effects or sequences that might otherwise be cut for budget reasons.
• Sarandos framed it as a time-saver on large-scale shots, not a replacement for creative work.
• According to Sarandos, Netflix has used generative AI on nearly 300 titles this year.