On January 10, 2024, A2IM President and CEO Dr. Richard James Burgess was in Nashville, TN for the introduction of the No AI Fake Replicas and Unauthorized Duplications (NO AI FRAUD) Act, which will establish a federal safeguard protecting against generative AI abuses.

What this means for creators: The No AI Fraud act establishes federal protection for copyright holders against the nonconsensual AI-generated use of their image, name, work or likeness.

The No AI FRAUD Actwas introduced by Rep. María Elvira Salazar (R-FL), the lead Republican sponsor of the bill, alongside Reps. Madeleine Dean (D-PA), Nathaniel Moran (R-TX), Joe Morelle (D-NY) and Rob Wittman (R-VA). It follows the Senate discussion draft Nurture Originals, Foster Art, and Keep Entertainment Safe Act (“NO FAKES” Act), which was announced last October.

Also on January 10th, Governor Bill Lee introduced updates to The Ensuring Likeness Voice and Image Security (ELVIS) Act which would impact Tennessee’s Protection of Personal Rights law and reaffirm the state’s strong stance towards preserving individual voice, image and likeness as irresponsible and unethical artificial intelligence (AI) develops in the form of deepfakes and voice cloning.

“Artists spend years, sometimes decades, meticulously crafting a brand with their labels to connect with fans…Permitting AI firms to profit from imitated artist voices undermines the core principle of copyright: to reward the risk-takers who promote the progress of the arts.

This proposal is timely and addresses a significant void…Protecting the rights to an individual’s name, voice, and likeness in the digital era is not just about respecting personal identity but also about safeguarding the integrity of artistic expression.

This act is a significant step towards balancing innovation with the rightful interests of creators and performers. It acknowledges the evolving landscape of technology and media, setting a precedent for responsible and ethical use of personal attributes, in the music industry.”
– Dr. Richard James Burgess MBE, A2IM President & CEO