Robin Williams AI media incident — Sep 2025

Zelda Williams, daughter of the late actor Robin Williams, recently issued a scathing public statement condemning a viral AI-generated video that portrays her father discussing conspiracy theories. The filmmaker and advocate characterized the content as a form of digital puppeteering that disrespects the legacy of the deceased.

What happened

On September 21, 2025, Zelda Williams took to social media to address a piece of synthetic media circulating online. The video, which she described as "clearly AI" and "not even particularly convincing," featured a robotic voice attempting to mimic her father. She criticized both the creator of the content and the viewers who accepted the fabrication as authentic, noting that anyone familiar with her father's work would recognize the poor quality of the impersonation.

In her statement, Williams questioned the motivations of those using such technology to advance their own agendas, asking, "If you cannot make your case without making a dead man make it more convincing for you, then tell me: who's the one manipulating the public thru media now?" She urged the public to stop treating her father as a "puppet" and emphasized the need for decency, stating, "Have some shame."

This incident is part of a broader, ongoing campaign by Williams against the unauthorized use of AI to recreate the likenesses of actors who cannot consent. She has previously expressed that such digital creations are maddening and tarnish the legacies of real people. Williams has been a vocal critic of the industry's push toward AI, arguing that living performers deserve the right to create characters through their own human effort and choice. She has previously compared these types of deepfakes to "horrible TikTok slop" and "disgusting, over-processed hotdogs," calling out the prevalence of bots and misinformation across social media platforms.