US Voice Actors Closer to AI Legal Protections
US Copyright Office makes new law recommendations to Congress
Pointing the way to new AI laws. Image: herbinisaac from Pixabay
American voice actors and performers have received a boost from legal officials as part of a continuing campaign to protect their work against exploitation by artificial intelligence (AI).
The US Copyright Office has made its “first set of recommendations” to Congress for a national law to protect everyone from private citizens to politicians and those working in the entertainment industries from the unauthorised replication of their vocal and physical likenesses.
The recommendations form part of an initial report into legal and policy matters arising from problems posed by the technology and seek to close the gap in existing legislation by calling for laws suitable for the digital age.
The first part of the report was published on 31st July, 2024 and “several” more parts, which respond to further challenges posed by AI, are due to follow.
According to the US Copyright Office, the first report looks into “the proliferation of videos, images, or audio recordings that have been digitally created or manipulated to realistically but falsely depict an individual”.
Home of US Copyright Office, Washington DC. Photo: Matt H. Wade, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
In a statement published on the news pages of the US Copyright Office website, the organisation’s Register of Copyrights and Director Shira Perlmutter said:
“I am pleased to begin sharing the results of our comprehensive study of AI and copyright, with this first set of recommendations to Congress.
“It has become clear that the distribution of unauthorised digital replicas poses a serious threat not only in the entertainment and political arenas but also for private citizens.
“We believe there is an urgent need for effective nationwide protection against the harms that can be caused to reputations and livelihoods.
“We look forward to working with Congress as they consider our recommendations and evaluate future developments.”
The US Copyright Office has also indicated that as part of its series, it will investigate licensing issues, whether materials that are made wholly or partially by generative AI can be copyrighted, what legal implications there are for AI being trained using copyrighted works, and how parties involved in these processes could be held liable.
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About the author
Chas Rowe is a UK voice-over artist, writer, former radio journalist and newsreader, and an advocate for best practice in professional voice-over production and hiring.
He holds degrees in French and German, Film & Television Studies and Multimedia Journalism.
To hire Chas for your next voice-over project, or to discuss syndication of this article, please email: [email protected]