Government & Policy Image Credits: DrAfter123 / Getty Images The U.S. Copyright Office has issued the first part of a report on how AI may affect its domain, and its first recommendation out of the gate is: we need a new law right away to define and combat AI-powered impersonation.
“It has become clear that the distribution of unauthorized digital replicas poses a serious threat not only in the entertainment and political arenas but also for private citizens,” said the agency’s director Shira Perlmutter in a statement accompanying the report. “We believe there is an urgent need for effective nationwide protection against the harms that can be caused to reputations and livelihoods.”
The report itself , part one of several to come, focuses on this timely aspect of AI and intellectual property, which as a concept encompasses your right to control your own identity. You don’t have to file a copyright request on yourself to prevent an advertiser from using your likeness, obviously, but can the same be said for AI-powered replications of you?
A few years ago it would take lots of time and effort to make a “digital replica” (as the Copyright Office chooses to call them) of a person, and so such things tended to be limited to politicians and celebrities. But now, using only handful of videos and public social media posts, nearly anyone can create a passable virtual version of you quite easily and cheaply. That opens up new possibilities for abuse, as the FCC and other federal agencies have pointed out in their own domains.
The Copyright Office is more concerned with IP questions, of course, but after launching this inquiry (and soliciting public comment) last year, the potential for harm even within that area became obvious to them. As they write in the report: We analyzed the comments received, performed additional research, and consulted with other
agencies on their relevant areas of expertise. Based on all of this input, we have concluded that
a new law is needed. The speed, precision, and scale of AI-created digital replicas calls for
prompt federal action. The need for a new law […]
Copyright Office tells Congress: ‘Urgent need’ to outlaw AI-powered impersonation
