United States Senate Legislation Would Outlaw Unauthorized AI-Generated Likenesses

Wednesday, October 18, 2023
United States Senate Legislation Would Outlaw Unauthorized AI-Generated Likenesses

Sen. Chris Coons, Sen. Marsha Blackburn, Sen. Amy Klobuchar and Sen. Thom Tillis today announced the NO FAKES Act, a proposed bill creating new and urgently needed protections for voice and likeness in the age of generative artificial intelligence.

Generative AI has opened new worlds of creative opportunities, providing tools that encourage millions of people to explore their own artistic potential. Along with these creative benefits, however, these tools can allow users to exploit another person’s voice or visual likeness by creating nearly indistinguishable digital replicas.

The proposal offers historic federal intellectual property protection against the misappropriation of voice and likeness performance in sound recordings and audiovisual works. It prohibits the unauthorized use of digital replicas without the informed consent of the individuals being replicated

The bipartisan Nurture Originals, Foster Art, and Keep Entertainment Safe Act, or NO FAKES Act (read it here), would hold people, companies and platforms liable for producing or hosting such digital replicas.