a 2 i m

A2IM Supports the NO AI FRAUD Act

Photo by Brandon Hull

On January 10, 2024, A2IM President and CEO Dr. Richard James Burgess was in Nashville, TN for the introduction of the No AI Fake Replicas and Unauthorized Duplications (NO AI FRAUD) Act, which will establish a federal safeguard protecting against generative AI abuses.

What this means for creators: The No AI Fraud act establishes federal protection for copyright holders against the nonconsensual AI-generated use of their image, name, work or likeness.

The No AI FRAUD Actwas introduced by Rep. María Elvira Salazar (R-FL), the lead Republican sponsor of the bill, alongside Reps. Madeleine Dean (D-PA), Nathaniel Moran (R-TX), Joe Morelle (D-NY) and Rob Wittman (R-VA). It follows the Senate discussion draft Nurture Originals, Foster Art, and Keep Entertainment Safe Act (“NO FAKES” Act), which was announced last October.

Also on January 10th, Governor Bill Lee introduced updates to The Ensuring Likeness Voice and Image Security (ELVIS) Act which would impact Tennessee’s Protection of Personal Rights law and reaffirm the state’s strong stance towards preserving individual voice, image and likeness as irresponsible and unethical artificial intelligence (AI) develops in the form of deepfakes and voice cloning.

“Artists spend years, sometimes decades, meticulously crafting a brand with their labels to connect with fans…Permitting AI firms to profit from imitated artist voices undermines the core principle of copyright: to reward the risk-takers who promote the progress of the arts.

This proposal is timely and addresses a significant void…Protecting the rights to an individual’s name, voice, and likeness in the digital era is not just about respecting personal identity but also about safeguarding the integrity of artistic expression.

This act is a significant step towards balancing innovation with the rightful interests of creators and performers. It acknowledges the evolving landscape of technology and media, setting a precedent for responsible and ethical use of personal attributes, in the music industry.”
– Dr. Richard James Burgess MBE, A2IM President & CEO

SUPPORT THE BILL

About A2IM:
A2IM is a 501(c)(6) not-for-profit trade organization headquartered in New York City that exists to support and strengthen the independent recorded music sector. Membership currently includes a broad coalition of more than 700 Independently-owned American music labels. A2IM represents these independently owned small and medium-sized enterprises’ (SMEs) interests in the marketplace, in the media, on Capitol Hill, and as part of the global music community. In doing so, it supports a key segment of America’s creative class that represents America’s diverse musical cultural heritage. Billboard Magazine identified the Independent music label sector as 37.32 percent of the music industry’s U.S. recorded music sales market in 2016 based on copyright ownership, making Independent labels collectively the largest music industry sector.

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