SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) — The controversy between Scarlett Johansson and ChatGPT has once again raised the larger issue of AI disguising the likeness of real people.
This is a hot topic for legal professionals and people who make a living from their voices and likenesses.
Advances in technology have made it easier than ever to send a message to someone using AI that mimics a celebrity's voice.
“The technical term for this is 'voice cloning.' If you have a sample of your own voice or someone else's voice, you can use an algorithm to emulate your voice and use simple text prompts. You can create audio in any environment by simply 'doing it your way,''' said SmartTech CEO Mark Vena. “And it's very dangerous.”
Read more: Biden calls for ban on AI voice generation during State of the Union address
Among the people most fearful of the potential dangers of rapidly advancing AI are working actors, including many in the Bay Area, and how Scarlett Johansson's story will unfold. I'm watching carefully.
“The only way we're going to achieve our goal is if big actors and big stars step up,” Robert Chesnutt said.
Chestnut, who currently serves as vice president of her local SAG-AFTRA chapter, was one of many actors who took part in a strike last year, protesting outside Netflix's Los Gatos headquarters.
One of the top demands from actors during negotiations was protection against the use of AI by major studios.
“We just need that protection to protect our image, our individuality, our voice and our charm,” Chesnutt says. “Otherwise we're lost.”
More: Scarlett Johansson sues lawyer, saying she was “shocked and outraged” by ChatGPT audio
No AI was used to replace Scarlett Johansson's voice, but OpenAI states that another actress' voice was used. Legal experts say there are existing laws that may apply.
“Her primary basis here is the right of publicity, which often means protection of her name, image, likeness and voice,” said Haynes Boone trademark attorney Joe Lawler. “There shouldn't be any legal implications whether it's an AI or another person who sounds like you. OpenAI uses his AI to generate an imitation of Scarlett Johansson's voice. and may be held liable for imitation.”
Laws protecting celebrities vary by state, but federal legislation is in the works to protect everyone.
“We may be a little further away from things like deepfakes and AI impersonations of regular people like you and me,” Lawler said of the pending bill. “Congress needs to catch up.”
Lawler said several bills aimed at addressing AI spoofing are pending in the Senate and House of Representatives, as it remains relatively easy to use technology to impersonate voices and images. .
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