Mark Cuban has accused Meta's Facebook platform of allowing deceptive AI ads that use his likeness and voice to promote products he says he never endorsed. Speaking on Pivot with Kara Swisher and Scott Galloway, Cuban said older people have contacted him, believing they had bought diabetes treatments promoted by him. He said he receives such messages 'every single week.'
'Worst of the Worst'
Cuban did not mince words when discussing Facebook: 'I think Facebook is the worst of the worst. Every single week I get emails from little old men and ladies saying, "Will my cure for diabetes work?" or "I just ordered your cure for diabetes for $294,"' Cuban said.
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Cuban said he believes he now knows what is behind the ads: 'They're using an AI version of me, and Meta allows it.' His complaint comes amid a broader problem involving scams that use AI to make celebrities and other public figures appear to endorse products they never promoted.
In May 2024, fact-checkers debunked a Facebook video that reused genuine footage of Cuban but added AI-generated audio to falsely make it appear that he was promoting a diabetes treatment. Cuban dismissed the clip as an 'obviously bad deep fake' and called it a scam.
The Disclaimer That Falls Short
Cuban said some of the ads he has seen include a disclaimer stating that the AI-generated figure is not actually him. He said viewers must scroll to the fine print to find the warning: 'This is just an AI representation of Mark Cuban it's not real. This is for entertainment purposes always.'
However, he argued that the disclaimer does little to stop the deception. Cuban said that viewers can be persuaded by a familiar face and voice before they reach the disclaimer, 'And to Facebook, that's good enough,' he said.
AI Scams Put Meta's Culture Under Fire
Cuban's frustration extends beyond the existence of AI-generated scams. He questioned what Meta's handling of the advertisements says about the company's internal culture. 'Facebook knows that it's bullshit. Facebook knows the little old ladies are getting ripped off,' Cuban said. He said the problem goes beyond any single fake advertisement or AI impersonation, arguing that Meta's handling of the issue reflects the company's culture.
'The point is that defines the culture of the organisation,' Cuban said. He continued, 'If you're willing to rip off little old (ladies), your grandparents, right? and that's acceptable; all that kind of bullshit is acceptable top to bottom in your organisation.'
More Than an AI Problem
Cuban has repeatedly spoken about both the potential and limitations of artificial intelligence. He has also embraced AI for business and personal tasks while warning users to be cautious about its answers. You've got to be careful,' Cuban previously told The High Performance Podcast, comparing AI to 'talking to a friend who you think knows a lot about something' and advising users to consult an expert.
His Cost Plus Drugs company has also deployed AI customer-care agents. He has encouraged businesses to use AI tools such as Claude to scrutinise healthcare contracts, identify potentially costly provisions, and ask, 'Where am I getting (screwed) over?'
Cuban has similarly argued that AI will become an important tool in healthcare without replacing doctors outright. On 19 August, he wrote on X, 'No chance radiologists get replaced,' while arguing that radiologists will increasingly use AI.
