In the midst of a very heated debate on the use ofArtificial intelligence in the field of musical creation, a bill has been approved in the United States which we could define as ad personam, aimed at protecting the image of Elvis Presley. Officially it is the bill Ensuring Likeness Voice and Image Security Actalthough for brevity (and content) it has already become famous as Elvis Act.
Elvis Act, to protect the legend of Elvis Presley from voice cloning with AI
The bill was approved last March 21 in Tennessee, a state where the legend of Elvis has never died (and will never die). The text will come into force starting from 1 July 2024, and will only be valid within the borders of the state. A small step, sure, but a significant one nonetheless.
In essence, the Elvis Act aims to protect the image rights of the King of Rock'n'Roll. How? Banning any creation that includes deep fakes or voice cloning using Artificial Intelligence tools.
The legislation was promoted by the Government of Tennessee itself, with the support of a large group of artists. Among these also David Hodgesmainly known for being the co-founder of the band Evanescence which tormented our adolescence so much (let's face it). But not only that: the Canadian singer-songwriter is also among the supporters of the project Lindsay Ellsinger Natalie Grant and the actress Chrissy Metz. Even the former boxer Jamie Moore he embraced the cause, publicly speaking out in support of the Elvis Act.
The global community of artists watches and applauds the initiative
The passage of the Elvis Act is definitely a very small first step, but it symbolizes a major effort. In fact, the news comes a few days after the publication of an open letter promoted by Artist Rights Alliance (ARA), signed by some of the most renowned musical artists in the world. Among these also Billie Eilish, Pearl Jam, Katy Perry, Nicki Minaj, R.E.M. they Imagine Dragons. The text from the ARA calls out loudly greater efforts to efficiently regulate the use of AI in matters of musical creations, revealing the urgency of protecting copyright and the profession of the artist.
It is therefore not surprising that the passage of the Elvis Act was welcomed around the world (although the law is limited to the borders of Tennessee only). In this sense, the official declaration of the Recording Academy (the main American musical institution, the one that awards the Grammys every year). In a note signed by Harvey Mason Jr., CEO of the Recording Academy, we read:
“The Recording Academy welcomes the passage of the Elvis Act as a groundbreaking achievement in the effort to protect human creatives in the age of artificial intelligence. This step represents the power of collaboration, and it has been a privilege to work with our partners at the Human Artistry Campaign, Governor Lee, and the Tennessee State Legislature to advance this legislation. Today is just the beginning: but as artificial intelligence continues to develop, the Recording Academy and our members will continue to advocate for meaningful legislation across the country that elevates music people and human creativity.”
The statements of are echoed David IsraelitePresident and CEO of National Music Publishers‘ Association (NMPA, the American publishing conglomerate):
“The Elvis Act is an important step forward in the fight to elevate songwriters and artists in the age of artificial intelligence. Impersonating artists is the ultimate theft, and this sets the stage for strong protections against unethical imitations. We have already seen the potential of voice replication and it is essential to encode the parameters before it becomes an even greater threat to the integrity of the music.”
Satisfaction also on the part of Moiya McTiersenior consultant to Human Artistry Campaignamong the main promoters of the bill:
“The Elvis Act, named after one of the world's most iconic voices, marks a historic moment, protecting all of us from irresponsible and unethical AI. The Human Artistry Campaign applauds this strong bipartisan effort to stop deep fakes and unauthorized AI-generated voice clones that steal essential parts of our individuality. The creative community's life's work and irreplaceable contributions to our culture deserve protections that allow AI technology to be used responsibly without violating anyone's rights or appropriating their art.”
Finally we report the statements of Mitch GlazierCEO of Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA, the American equivalent of our FIMI):
“This incredible achievement proves once again that when the music community stands together, there is nothing we can't do. We applaud Tennessee's swift and thoughtful bipartisan leadership against AI deepfakes and voice clones without consent, and look forward to other states and the U.S. Congress moving quickly to protect the unique humanity and individuality of all Americans ”.
Meanwhile, last September, the Council of Music Makers (CMM) of the United Kingdom published five fundamental guidelines for companies who intend to develop artificial intelligence technologies for music.
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