Explaining California's New AI Consent Law on Replicas of Dead Performers

Robot and Human Touching Fingers | california ai consent law explained
Credit: Igor Omilaev on Unsplash | Free to use under the Unsplash License

Robot and Human Touching Fingers | california ai consent law explained
Credit: Igor Omilaev on Unsplash | Free to use under the Unsplash License

California's recent legislation regarding the use of AI for creating replicas of deceased performances has raised some questions about intellectual property, privacy, and the future of entertainment.

This law aims to regulate the use and creation of AI-generated replicas.

AI generated robot image
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Credit: Viktor Forgacs on Unsplash | Free to use under the Unsplash License.

With the passage of AB 1836, the use of AI to create realistic replicas of deceased celebrities will be controlled in the state of California. While this could take the entertainment industry to another level, it also raises some ethical questions about the exploitation of images, videos, and voices of deceased individuals.

According to the new AI consent law, anyone who uses realistic AI replicas of deceased celebrities must get consent from family members. This will help maintain the diseased person's legacy and integrity and prevent their public image from being exploited.

SAG-AFTRA played a big role in bill 1836's creation

SAG-AFTRA, representing approximately 160,000 performers in the entertainment industry, has long wanted the passage of AB 1836. The union is well-known for understanding and protecting performance rights during one's lifetime and after one's death.

SAG-AFTRA's Contribution has been essential in shaping this law as the union helped raise awareness of the issue and build support.

They argued that a law like this is essential to protecting the legacy that deceased performers created and ensuring their estates receive fair compensation if anyone uses their AI-generated replicas for commercial purposes.

Also, a similar bill, AB 2602, was passed previously, setting similar consent requirements for living actors.

Dancing in the shadow
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Credit: Ardian Lumi on Unsplash | Free to use under the Unsplash License.

With the rise of technology, there have been significant changes in the entertainment industry, notably, it allows creators to generate AI replicas of characters even if they are no longer alive.

But with California's recent AI consent law, anyone who tries to generate or use these will have to obtain consent from the performers' estate or family members and offer fair compensation for it.

The passage of AB 1836 is an excellent victory for protecting the legacy and rights of deceased performers and their families.

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