Actors and recording artists are backing a new law that seeks to limit the use of artificial intelligence to recreate the voice or likeness of an existing person.
The Counterfeit Artificial Intelligence and Unauthorized Duplication (No Artificial Intelligence Fraud) Act was introduced with bipartisan support in the House of Representatives.
The bill cites several high-profile AI deepfakes where the technology was used to replicate a celebrity’s voice or appearance.
One of them is the song “Heart on my Sleeve”, which used AI versions of Drake and The Weeknd’s voices and went viral.
Meanwhile, several actors, including Tom Hanks, have had their likenesses recreated to sell products they don’t endorse.
If passed, the bill would make deepfakes and voice cloning illegal if done without permission, and violators could be liable for fines of up to $50,000 and other potential punitive damages.
The bill has the support of SAG-AFTRA and the Recording Academy.
The use of artificial intelligence partly led to the recent month-long strike of the former.
“Without intelligent regulation, AI technology poses risks to individuals and intellectual property rights,” SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher said in a statement.
“We applaud the introduction of the No AI FRAUD Act. It’s imperative that the public gets involved and advocates. Let’s ensure that AI technology remains a tool for humans and not a vehicle for human exploitation.”
Moiya McTier, an adviser to the Human Artistry Campaign, a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting the responsible use of artificial intelligence in the creative arts, said in a statement that “timely action is critical as irresponsible artificial intelligence platforms are used to launch deepfake and voice. personification models depicting individuals doing and saying things they never had or wanted.”
“Not only does this have the potential to damage these artists, their livelihoods and reputations, but it also undermines the trust of society.
There has never been a more important time for our leaders to demand responsible and ethical AI that works for people – not against them.”
