Bruce Willis sells likeness to deepfake technology firm

Bruce Willis has become the first Hollywood actor to allow his likeness to be used by a deepfake technology firm.

Deepfake is a type of artificial intelligence used to create convincing images, audio and video hoaxes.

The 67-year-old actor best known for playing Detective John McClane in the  "Die Hard" movie franchise has officially signed over his rights to deepfake firm, Deepcake.

This follows a March announcement made by the actor's family which revealed that Willis would retire from acting after he was diagnosed with aphasia, a neurological condition that affects a person's ability to read, listen, and speak. 

“We wanted to share that our beloved Bruce has been experiencing some health issues and has recently been diagnosed with aphasia, which is impacting his cognitive abilities. As a result of this and with much consideration, Bruce is stepping away from the career that has meant so much to him," said his family then.

Following the announcement, most quarters assumed that the acclaimed actor would never again appear on the Silver Screen but that seems to not be the case owing to the dawning of deepfake technology.

A' digital copy' of Willis was first used in an advert for Russian phone service MegaFon in 2021 with the actor's face being transplanted onto another actor during post-production for the shoot.

Willis did not once set foot on the set of the commercial.

“I liked the precision with which my character turned out. It’s a mini-movie in my usual action-comedy genre. For me, it is a great opportunity to go back in time,” said Willis after the commercial aired.

“With the advent of modern technology, even when I was on another continent, I was able to communicate, work and participate in the filming. It’s a very new and interesting experience, and I thank our entire team” he added.