The Display screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Tv and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) put out a press release on Jan. 26, 2024, hitting again at two AI scandals in latest weeks: specific AI deepfakes of musician Taylor Swift circulating on X (previously Twitter) and the broader web, and a comedy particular YouTube video that impersonates the late comic George Carlin and was marketed as AI generated, however which a spokesperson of the creators stated was really human written and an elaborate joke.
It makes good sense and is in line with the union’s prior place of skepticism towards AI throughout its strike and in the end, settlement to resume manufacturing with studios, with the settlement that human actors would management their very own AI likenesses generated on movie and TV productions.
A scandalous month for AI generated content material
It’s unclear if Taylor Swift is a SAG-AFTRA member, however she’s acted earlier than and is rumored to be within the upcoming Deadpool 3, and throughout the previous week, varied X accounts and web sites comparable to Celeb Jihad posted deepfaked photorealistic photos of her in varied lewd and specific scenes involving followers of her professional American soccer participant boyfriend Travis Kelce’s NFL crew the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs.
X was sluggish to cease the unfold of the pictures (which remained up for 17 hours and obtained 45 million views for essentially the most considered posts), however did lastly start eradicating them and related accounts, and right now blocked all searches of Swift’s identify.
In the meantime Carlin was made the topic of a brand new comedy particular titled “George Carlin: I’m Glad I’m Lifeless,” launched on January 11, 2024, by “Dudesy” a so-called comedy AI program created by comic Will Sasso previously of “Mad TV” and podcaster Chad Kultgen, to a lot criticism on-line by followers and in the end, a copyright infringement lawsuit from Carlin’s daughter. The video was taken offline after the lawsuit was filed.
“The event and dissemination of pretend photos — particularly these of a lewd nature — with out somebody’s consent should be made unlawful. As a society, we’ve it in our energy to regulate these applied sciences, however we should act now earlier than it’s too late,” SAG said.
Early on, some alleged the 2 are performing an elaborate bit as an AI program to spoof the hype and fears across the tech, probably utilizing AI instruments to assist them with this, however a consultant for the duo informed Ars Technica in article revealed right now that “It’s a fictional podcast character created by two human beings, Will Sasso and Chad Kultgen…The YouTube video ‘I’m Glad I’m Lifeless’ was utterly written by Chad Kultgen.”
However simply yesterday, SAG-AFTRA launched a press release underneath the impression the Carlin particular was AI-generated, alongside its concern for the actual AI-generated Swift specific deepfakes. Learn it in full right here:
January 26, 2024
SAG-AFTRA is working with lawmakers who perceive the significance of appearing instantly to cross laws that protects people’ voices and likenesses — each within the case of residing and deceased performers.
The sexually specific, A.I.-generated photos depicting Taylor Swift are upsetting, dangerous, and deeply regarding. The event and dissemination of pretend photos — particularly these of a lewd nature — with out somebody’s consent should be made unlawful. As a society, we’ve it in our energy to regulate these applied sciences, however we should act now earlier than it’s too late. SAG-AFTRA continues to assist laws by U.S. Rep. Joe Morelle, the Stopping Deepfakes of Intimate Photos Act, to verify we cease exploitation of this nature from taking place once more. We assist Taylor and girls all over the place who’re the victims of this type of theft of their privateness and proper to autonomy.
Equally, George Carlin’s legacy was shaped out of a lifetime of lived expertise and many years of honing his astute observational abilities whereas demonstrating a tireless dedication to the artwork of comedy. Corporations or people trying to duplicate a person’s artistic work for revenue, publicity or clout are infringing upon mental property rights and devaluing the essence of human artistry. We should do not forget that all the pieces generated by A.I. originates from a human artistic supply and human creativity should be protected. SAG-AFTRA’s authorized crew has been working with lawmakers who perceive the significance of appearing instantly to cross laws that protects people’ voices and likenesses — each within the case of residing and deceased performers. Households mustn’t must see their family members exploited for revenue. We assist the Carlin household, who’re pursuing authorized motion in opposition to these utilizing the comedian’s work with out in search of consent or providing compensation.
WH backs Congressional motion, and two Ai picture payments have been launched
It’s not simply SAG-AFTRA calling for legal guidelines to alter within the wake of the speedy unfold of AI imagery from generator fashions and applications comparable to OpenAI’s DALL-E 3 (which powers Microsoft Designer and Bing Picture Creator), open-source mannequin Secure Diffusion (made by Stability AI and Runway), and Midjourney: the White Home spokesperson stated this concerning the Swift illicit AI deepfakes in a press convention:
“We’re alarmed by the stories of the…circulation of photos that you simply simply laid out – of false photos to be extra actual, and it’s alarming,” White Home Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre informed ABC Information White Home Correspondent Karen L. Travers.
“Whereas social media corporations make their very own impartial choices about content material administration, we consider they’ve an necessary function to play in imposing their very own guidelines to forestall the unfold of misinformation, and non-consensual, intimate imagery of actual individuals,” she added.
She additionally said: “After all Congress ought to take legislative motion. That’s the way you cope with a few of these points,” in keeping with The Verge.
Republican Congressman Tom Keane of New Jersey has launched a invoice calling for all AI generated photos to be labeled, and joined together with his Home of Representatives colleague, Democratic Congressman Joseph Morelle of New York, on the Stopping Deepfakes of Intimate Photos Act, which might “make non-consensual deepfakes a federal crime,” and permit purveyors to be fined and despatched to federal jail for 10 years.
Each payments are awaiting voting by means of committee and onto the total Home and a Senate model being launched, earlier than they are often voted on by the total Congress and signed or vetoed by the President. However at this price, with seemingly most individuals up in arms concerning the problem, there appears a excessive public demand for speedy motion from lawmakers. The massive questions: will they act, when, and the way?
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