Zelda Williams, the daughter of late actor and comedian Robin Williams, has urged the public to stop sending her AI-generated videos of her father. In a passionate Instagram story, Zelda expressed her discomfort with the trend of recreating her father’s likeness and voice using artificial intelligence.
What Happened
On October 3, 2025, Zelda Williams posted a message on her Instagram stories, asking people to stop sending her AI-generated videos of her father, Robin Williams, who passed away in 2014. Zelda’s message was clear: “Please, just stop sending me AI videos of Dad.”
She continued, “Stop believing I wanna see it or that I’ll understand, I don’t and I won’t. If you’re just trying to troll me, I’ve seen way worse, I’ll restrict and move on. But please, if you’ve got any decency, just stop doing this to him and to me, to everyone even, full stop. It’s dumb, it’s a waste of time and energy, and believe me, it’s NOT what he’d want.”
This is not the first time Zelda has criticized AI attempts to recreate her father’s likeness. She previously described such recreations as “personally disturbing,” especially when AI versions of his voice were used in media. Her latest comments highlight growing concerns around the use of AI technology to animate and “revive” deceased public figures.
Zelda’s Criticism of AI Recreations
Zelda’s message on Instagram delves deeper into her frustrations with the AI trend, which has seen people attempt to bring deceased celebrities back to life through technology. She criticized the quality of these creations, stating: “To watch the legacies of real people be condensed down to ‘this vaguely looks and sounds like them so that’s enough,’ just so other people can churn out horrible TikTok slop puppeteering them is maddening.”
She further elaborated, “You’re not making art, you’re making disgusting, over-processed hotdogs out of the lives of human beings, out of the history of art and music, and then shoving them down someone else’s throat hoping they’ll give you a little thumbs up and like it. Gross.”
Zelda also expressed her frustration with the notion that AI is the future of entertainment, stating: “For the love of EVERY THING, stop calling it ‘the future,’ AI is just badly recycling and regurgitating the past to be re-consumed.”
Wider Industry Impact
Zelda’s comments come amid growing unease surrounding AI-generated content in the entertainment industry. The unveiling of “AI actor” Tilly Norwood, created by Dutch actor and comedian Eline Van der Velden, sparked significant debate. Van der Velden has expressed that Norwood is meant to be a creative work, not a replacement for a human actor, but the character has raised concerns about the potential for AI to replace human performers.
SAG-AFTRA, the US media union, has expressed concerns about AI actors, stating that such characters lack life experience and emotional depth, and audiences are not interested in content that is “untethered from the human experience.” Actress Emily Blunt also voiced her apprehension, describing the concept of AI-generated actors as “really, really scary.”
Public and Industry Reactions
Zelda’s outspoken remarks have ignited discussions around the ethics of using AI to recreate deceased public figures. Her comments reflect a broader conversation about the implications of AI in entertainment and the potential dangers of dehumanizing the creative process.
Van der Velden defended her creation of Tilly Norwood, describing the character as a piece of art meant to spark conversation. “She is not a replacement for a human being, but a creative work,” Van der Velden stated, acknowledging that the controversy surrounding Tilly’s creation shows the power of creativity.
Closing Line:
As AI continues to play a larger role in the entertainment industry, Zelda Williams’ call to stop using AI to recreate her late father highlights the growing tension between technology and personal legacy. The debate over the ethical use of AI in recreating public figures’ likenesses is sure to continue.
