With support from SAG-AFTRA, the MPA, YouTube, OpenAI and the RIAA, a bipartisan group of U.S. senators has reintroduced a bill designed to combat the unauthorized use of a person’s voice and likeness in AI-generated deepfakes.
Nearly a year after the NO FAKES (Nurture Originals, Foster Art, and Keep Entertainment Safe) Act was first introduced last July, Democratic and Republican Senators Marsha Blackburn, Chris Coons, Amy Klobuchar and Thom Tillis resurrected the bill in Washington on Tuesday. If passed, the act would establish a federal right for every American protecting their voice and visual likeness. The unauthorized use of both has become a growing concern in recent years among actors, performers and all prominent public figures.
State Representatives María Elvira Salazar, Nathaniel Moran, Becca Balint and Madeleine Dean stood alongside their senate colleagues Wednesday in support of the bill. In addition to offering federal protections against unauthorized deepfakes, the NO FAKES Act would also result in the prompt removal of unauthorized deepfakes from platforms that host user-generated content.
MPA CEO Charles Rivkin, SAG-AFTRA president Fran Drescher, RIAA CEO Mitch Glazier, Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr., musician Randy Travis, Warner Music Group CEO Robert Kyncl and YouTube global head of artists Vivien Lewit also appeared in-person Wednesday in Washington to show their support for the bill. Last year, Travis released a song using AI-cloned vocals, after having had his singing ability taken away from him years ago by a stroke.
In a press release, RIAA said the purpose of the reintroduced NO FAKES Act is to protect “Americans from invasive deepfakes while reducing litigation and promoting American AI development.”
“This bill proves that we can prioritize the growth of AI and protect American creativity at the same time,” said Glazier in an RIAA statement released Wednesday. “We applaud Senators Blackburn, Coons, Tillis and Klobuchar; Representatives Salazar, Dean, Moran, Balint and bipartisan colleagues for their incredible leadership on driving this legislation that provides balanced and effective protections for all individuals against exploitative uses of their voice and likeness while supporting free speech, reducing litigation and achieving the promise of AI technology.”
In his own, separate statement, Warner Music Group’s Kyncl echoed Glazier’s sentiments, commenting, “I applaud Senators Blackburn and Coons and Representatives Salazar and Dean for their leadership in introducing the NO FAKES Act. This bill reflects what can happen when tech and creative industries come together – foster cutting edge innovation while protecting human identity and artistry. We look forward to working with key members of the U.S. Senate and House to help pass the NO FAKES Act this year.”
