A revised version of a bill banning artificial intelligence (AI) deepfakes has received public support from a number of players in the entertainment industry, including SAG-AFTRA and Disney.
Why it Matters:
Deepfakes are a form of digital imitation in which AI software replaces someone’s voice and likeness with those of someone else. Through using deepfake technology, a person can be “virtually cloned” to allow for someone else to edit them saying and doing things they might never have said or done.
The proposed Nurture Originals, Foster Art, and Keep Entertainment Safe (NO FAKES) Act of 2024 is a bill intended to protect the “voice and visual likeness of all individuals from unauthorized computer-generated recreations.” The bill—backed by United States Senators Chris Coons, Marsha Blackburn, Amy Klobuchar and Thom Tillis—would make it illegal to create an AI replica of someone without their consent. This is especially relevant to members of the entertainment world, as deepfakes created in the likeness of celebrities are the most common.
Key Points:
- Since its introduction, the bill has received open support from SAG-AFTRA, Disney, and the Motion Picture Association, which oversees six separate studios.
- Other key players that have offered support include Universal Music Group, Warner Music Group, Sony Music, the Authors Guild and the Human Artistry Campaign.
- Tech industry participants have also backed the proposed legislation. OpenAI Vice President of Global Affairs released a statement regarding the bill on Senator Chris Coons’ website: “Creators and artists should be protected from improper impersonation, and thoughtful legislation at the federal level can make a difference.”
Broader View:
- The use of deepfake technology does not only impact the entertainment industry. A primary concern of many public officials is that the form of digital imitation will make it easier to spread misinformation.
- Recently tech mogul Elon Musk shared a video to his X account that featured Vice President and current presidential candidate Kamala Harris saying things she never said. The video, created as a parody, used a real campaign ad, but swapped out the audio with an impersonation of Harris. In the impersonation, the voice refers to President Joe Biden as senile and herself as a “diversity hire” that would not know how to run a country. The video was not clearly marked as a parody by Musk until a few days after it was posted.
