Key facts
- Stella Parton, sister of the late Dolly Parton, has asked fans to stop posting AI-generated content online.
- She described the AI posts as "fake AI garbage" and "endless garbage".
- Stella Parton stated that the amount of AI content has been "challenging to absorb".
- She requested more compassion in how fans respond to her sister's death.
- Similar pleas have been made by families of other deceased celebrities.
- Dolly Parton had previously expressed concerns about AI replacing human creativity.
Stella Parton, sister of the late country music icon Dolly Parton, has urged fans to cease posting "fake AI garbage" online in the wake of her sister's death. Tributes have poured in for the singer, who passed away on August 25 at the age of 80, but Stella Parton noted that the influx of AI-generated content and misinformation has been "challenging to absorb."
She thanked those offering genuine support while requesting more compassion from fans. This plea echoes similar sentiments from families of other deceased celebrities who have been subjected to AI-generated tributes. Zelda Williams' request was amplified by Bernice A King, daughter of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., who highlighted the pressure and insensitivity faced by public figures' families.
The proliferation of AI tools has led to the creation of numerous tribute posts, including AI-generated songs, images, and videos. Notably, US President Donald Trump shared an AI-generated image of himself and Dolly Parton on Truth Social. Another AI image depicting Parton without makeup drew criticism online. On YouTube, a fan-made tribute song in the style of Miley Cyrus, Dolly Parton's goddaughter, has garnered over 1.5 million views, despite being labeled as AI-generated.
Even Dolly Parton herself had expressed reservations about AI in 2023, telling The Hollywood Reporter that while she saw potential in AI for science and medicine, she feared its ability to replace human voices and creativity, likening it to "the mark of the beast."