“It’s wrong, plain and simple.”
On Friday, CMA Entertainer of the Year Lenny Wilson testified before Congress about the dangers of misuse of artificial intelligence in the music industry.
Wilson testified before the House Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property, and the Internet in downtown Los Angeles with a panel of entertainment industry experts and companies at the forefront of AI innovation.
Wilson, singer of “Heart Like a Truck” and “Watermelon Moonshine,” said that when AI-generated content is misused, artists’ voices can be used to sing lyrics and lyrics that they wrote. would never have written. In addition, musicians’ likenesses can be used in other unethical ways, such as performing in objectionable settings, promoting products or spreading misinformation.
“I don’t need to tell you that your name, your likeness or your voice is being taken away from you and used in a way that you could never imagine and would never allow, Wilson said. “It’s wrong, plain and simple.”
More: Here’s how artificial intelligence is showing up in Nashville songwriting rooms.
“It’s a personal violation that threatens a person’s dignity and can jeopardize everything they’ve worked so hard to achieve,” he said. “An artist’s voice and likeness is their property and should not be subverted in the economic interest of companies that have not invested in or partnered with the artist.”
Wilson continued, “There aren’t many things in life we can control, but making decisions about how to use ourselves, our unique qualities, should be one.
“I’m excited about the many ways artificial intelligence can be used to help people, but I worry about how it can be used to take away personal rights.”
“I use my music and my voice to tell stories, connect with my fans and help them connect with each other,” Wilson said. “My art is uniquely and literally me, my name, my likeness, my voice.”
Wilson has shown his support for AI protections in the past, attending a press conference in Nashville in January for Tennessee Governor Bill Lee’s ELVIS Act (Insuring Likeness Voice and Image Security). The proposed law would protect Tennessee musicians from deepfakes and would be enforced criminally, allowing license holders to be sued civilly.
Last summer, Wilson found himself the victim of an AI deepfake. It told Congress that its AI-generated likeness has been used to promote weight-loss gummies. He never promoted such products.
“I have a lot of little kids looking up to me, a lot of little girls and a lot of little boys. And I want to encourage them to feel comfortable in their own skin and love themselves. And I Never in a million years would I ever do anything like that,” Wilson said.
“But at the end of the day, you know, people are like, ‘I had to see it to believe it.’ Well, they’re seeing it, and they’re believing it.”
Wilson notes that the ethical use of AI, where artists are informed along the way, comes down to communication and consent. “Some creators are fine with AI platforms using their voices and likenesses, and some are not. The important thing is that it should be their choice and not an AI cloning company choosing for them. “
Lenny Wilson says AI affects everyone, not just artists
During Wilson’s testimony, he noted that it’s not just music artists who have found themselves at the mercy of AI-generated analogies. That’s all.
“It’s not just artists who need protection, fans do too,” he said. “It’s needed for high school girls who have experienced life-changing deepfake porn using their faces.
“For senior citizens who are convinced to hand over their life savings to a voice clone of their grandchild in distress, AI will increasingly affect each and every one of us, and I’m so grateful that you’re talking about it. are considering taking action to ensure that these tools are used in a responsible manner.”
Last month, a series of pornographic AI-generated images of Taylor Swift made the rounds on the internet. The incident led senators to introduce a bill that would make non-consensual sex deep-fax illegal.
Rep. Daryl Issa of California said “dozens of pieces that could come together into one big bill” are on the way. He will address various elements related to AI, including “rights and remedies for people who create things that improve our lives.”