U.S. Senators Marsha Blackburn, Maria Cantwell, and Martin Heinrich have once again introduced the Content Origin Protection and Integrity from Edited and Deepfaked Media Act (COPIED ACT). This bipartisan bill seeks to address the challenges posed by AI-generated content, commonly known as deepfakes. The legislation aims to provide federal transparency guidelines for marking and authenticating AI-created content, while safeguarding journalists, actors, and artists from unauthorized use of their work by AI systems.
“Artificial intelligence has given bad actors the ability to create deepfakes of every individual, including those in the creative community, to imitate their likeness without their consent and profit off of counterfeit content,” stated Senator Blackburn.
Senator Cantwell added, “The bipartisan COPIED Act I introduced with Senator Blackburn will provide much-needed transparency around AI-generated content.” Senator Heinrich emphasized the threat deepfakes pose to democracy, stating, “Deepfakes are a real threat to our democracy and to Americans’ safety and well-being.”
The COPIED Act mandates the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to create standards for content provenance and watermarking to detect synthetic content. It restricts unauthorized use of content to train AI models and provides a right to sue violators. Additionally, the bill prohibits manipulation of AI content provenance information.
The legislation has garnered support from various organizations. SAG-AFTRA endorsed the bill, highlighting the risks AI poses to performers’ images and voices. The Nashville Songwriters Association International, Recording Academy, and National Association of Broadcasters also expressed their approval.
Prominent figures and groups such as David Israelite of the National Music Publishers’ Association, Mitch Glazier from the Recording Industry Association of America, and the Television Academy emphasized the importance of the bill for protecting creative content against AI misuses. These endorsements underline a collective acknowledgment of the need for transparency and protection in the burgeoning field of AI, aligning with the objectives set forth by Senators Cantwell, Blackburn, and Heinrich in the COPIED Act.
Curtis LeGeyt of the National Association of Broadcasters noted, “Deepfakes pose a significant threat to the integrity of broadcasters’ trusted journalism,” affirming support for the legislation. Public Citizen and other advocacy groups also recognized the bill’s role in promoting transparency and social trust in the digital space.
