Warner Music Group CEO Robert Kyncl has voiced his public support for US federal legislation to tackle AI deepfakes.
Kyncl addressed the US Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Intellectual Property Washington, DC.
The music industry leader testified in support of the No FAKES Act (Nurture Originals, Foster Art, and Keep Entertainment Safe Act), which would protect against voice and likeness in sound recordings and audiovisual works.
It follows the recent SAG-AFTRA agreement with labels on AI.
“Across the industry, legends from Roberta Flack to the Beatles have embraced AI as a tool to enhance their creativity,” Robert Kyncl told senators at the hearing. “At the same time, generative AI is appropriating artists’ identities and producing deep fakes that depict people doing, saying, or singing things that never happened.”
Kyncl suggest that there are three elements the bipartisan bill should contain to be effective:
• An enforceable intellectual property right for likeness and voice. Each person should be allowed to license or deny that right on free market terms... and seek redress for unauthorised uses.
• Respect for important First Amendment principles… without going further, and providing loopholes that create more victims.
• Effective deterrence. To incentivise a vibrant and responsible commercial marketplace... We need meaningful consequences for AI model builders and digital platforms that knowingly violate a person’s property rights.
“I applaud the Committee for its leadership in addressing these challenging and rapidly developing issues with urgency,” added Kyncl. “Congress should pass legislation this year before the genie is out of the bottle while we still have a chance to get this right. I look forward to answering your questions.”
The hearing was also addressed by FKA Twigs, who provided the artist and songwriter perspective on AI fakes.
“I stand before you today because you have it in your power to help protect artists and their work from the dangers of exploitation and theft inherent in this technology if it remains unchecked,” said FKA Twigs. “I am here on behalf of all creators whose careers depend on their ability to create, safe in the knowledge that they can maintain tight control over their own art, image, voice, and identity.
“Our careers and livelihoods are in jeopardy, and so potentially are the wider image-related rights of others in society. You have the power to change this and safeguard the future.”
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