Tennessee Is First State to Protect People's Voice Rights

Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee on Thursday made the state the first to protect people's voice rights when he signed the ELVIS Act into law. Supported by a large number of musical artists and music industry groups, the law will protect residents' voices, images, and likenesses from being replicated using artificial intelligence. (ELVIS stands for "Ensuring Likeness Voice and Image Security.") If AI is used for unauthorized replications, district attorneys can criminally enforce the law as a Class A misdemeanor, the Tennessean reports. Artists, labels, and distribution groups will also be able to sue in civil court for damages. Fittingly, the bill was signed at a honky-tonk in Nashville, aka "Music City," the Hill reports. It adds to the already strong protections the state put in place for images and likenesses following the death of Elvis Presley.

Lee signed the bill as AI "deepfakes" have become more common, and country singer Luke Bryan, who spoke at the bill signing, said he's heard AI replications of his voice and even he can't tell it's not him. Lee said that "when fallen into the hands of bad actors, [AI] can destroy this industry." Some have spoken out with concerns that the law "blows up" the First Amendment (see a sample opinion column on the subject here) but the Recording Industry Association of America says the law makes it clear that "if it's protected by the First Amendment, that's fine. But if it's not protected by the First Amendment, Tennessee is going to act to protect artists." (More Tennessee stories.)