Photo by Photo by Sora Shimazaki
Deadmau5 has spoken out after discovering an AI-generated video that allegedly used his likeness to promote another artist’s music without permission. The Canadian producer, whose real name is Joel Zimmerman, shared a screenshot via Instagram, claiming the clip depicted him endorsing the track without his signature helmet. He described the experience as unsettling, calling the technology “scary as fuck” and warning that misuse of generative AI is likely to escalate.
Zimmerman said the video appeared fully synthetic, including a cloned voice that was “pretty damn convincing.” While he chose not to publicly name the creator, he criticised what he sees as the growing abuse of AI tools by artists seeking attention at the expense of others’ rights. His comments reflect wider industry anxiety about deepfakes and identity misuse, particularly as AI-generated media becomes increasingly difficult to distinguish from real footage.
Speaking to Billboard, Zimmerman added that his legal team has been involved in advocacy around proposed US legislation designed to protect individuals from unauthorised digital replicas of their image or voice. The incident underscores the rapidly evolving legal and ethical challenges facing the music industry as artificial intelligence becomes more accessible.
