LeBron James is taking a stand against AI-generated abuse. According to a report by 404 Media, lawyers representing the NBA superstar have issued multiple cease-and-desist letters to creators producing disturbing deepfake videos of James, including content that falsely depicts him as pregnant or involved in graphic, nonconsensual scenarios. The legal move has already resulted in Instagram removing several high-traffic accounts tied to the offensive content.
“The creators of an AI tool and Discord community that allowed people to create AI videos of NBA stars say that it got a cease-and-desist letter from lawyers representing LeBron James,” reported 404Media.
The rise of artificial intelligence has become an increasingly debated issue in today’s media-driven world. While there are plenty of good uses for it, there are also ways to abuse the technology, and LeBron has experienced it first-hand with countless fake videos emerging as a threat to his image and legacy (even one of a pregnant LeBron James).
“High-profile creators there were racking up millions of views on Instagram making AI-generated videos of James and Steph Curry,” wrote 404Media. “These included videos where an AI-generated James stood by as an AI-generated Diddy sexually assaulted Steph Curry in prison, videos of James imagined as a homeless person, videos of James on his knees with his tongue out, and videos of James pregnant.”
The rise of artificial intelligence has created a new era of digital creativity, but also opened the door for abuse. For LeBron, the downside of deepfake tech has hit hard, with increasingly graphic and offensive videos threatening his image and legacy.
“At least three Instagram accounts that had garnered millions of views on nonconsensual AI videos of James have been deleted by Instagram. When asked by 404 Media whether it had received a cease-and-desist letter from James, Meta refused to comment.”
A cease-and-desist order basically means that the creator of these AI videos/images has to stop using LeBron’s face and likeness, or it could lead to major legal action. While it won’t completely scrub what’s already been created and shared, it should at least prevent any similar videos from being released.
Despite the escalating situation, Meta—Instagram’s parent company—has declined to say whether it received legal correspondence from LeBron’s lawyers. Still, the platform has begun removing offending content and accounts, signaling they are responding to mounting legal pressure. How they intend to address the larger problem of AI-generated deepfakes remains to be seen.
For now, LeBron is using his power to hold creators accountable—one takedown at a time. With a $1 billion empire to protect, he has the means to fight back. Unfortunately, not all victims of the practice have that luxury.
LeBron James has made it clear that digital exploitation won’t be tolerated. As AI tools become more advanced and widespread, public figures are increasingly vulnerable. This legal action may be just the beginning in a broader push against deepfake abuse, one that could unite athletes, entertainers, and lawmakers in defense of privacy and personal dignity.
