The new legislation regulating AI use for digitally resurrecting deceased actors has sparked debate about rights and ethics in the entertainment industry.
At a Glance
- Ethical issues sparked by unauthorized digital portrayals of actors like Christopher Reeve.
- New legislation aims to protect the digital legacy and consent rights of deceased individuals.
- Rising trend of digitally resurrecting celebrities like James Dean raises legal questions.
- Public and family reactions to AI-generated depictions of deceased loved ones often include outrage and discomfort.
Digital Resurrection and Its Ethical Concerns
Recent advancements in artificial intelligence have made it possible to digitally recreate deceased actors for films. Celebrities like James Dean have been digitally resurrected, raising significant ethical and legal questions. As the technology used is akin to deepfakes, it challenges the boundaries of CGI in Hollywood. This trend has stirred concerns around posthumous rights, as actors and their families grapple with unauthorized digital portrayals.
James Dean, who died in 1955, is set to star in a new movie, “Back to Eden,” as a digital clone. Digital clones of other late celebrities, including Carrie Fisher, Harold Ramis, and Paul Walker, have previously appeared in films. These digital recreations involve extensive scanning of images and audio to achieve a photorealistic representation. As technology advances, modern celebrities’ larger digital footprints may lead to even more sophisticated digital clones.
🗳️From AI resurrected dictators to AI powered interactive chatbots, political campaigns around the world are deploying the technology to expand their audience and win over voters.
This month, Hany Farid, UC Berkeley Professor, CAI Advisor, looks at examples of increasingly… pic.twitter.com/O0yvJcceBb
— Content Authenticity Initiative (@ContentAuth) February 20, 2024
Legislative Actions to Protect Digital Legacies
New legislation details that the unauthorized use of a deceased person’s likeness is a violation of rights, responding to public backlash, such as the disapproval voiced by Christopher Reeve’s family. This statute is designed to safeguard the digital legacies and consent rights of the deceased, addressing both ethical and legal concerns.
“The videos were made without our knowledge and consent. It’s like rubbing salt on our wounds,” said Qiao Kangqiang, the father of Qiao Renliang.
This legislation not only impacts the entertainment industry but also provides a framework for ensuring that AI’s role in entertainment respects the rights and legacies of the deceased. It emphasizes the need for consent and aims to set a high standard for how digital recreations should be handled.
Digital recreations of dead people need urgent regulation, AI ethicists say https://t.co/iOb6d7J9UX
— The Guardian (@guardian) May 9, 2024
Balancing Innovation and Respect
Financial benefits for digital cloning remain uncertain, with potential job creation in technical sectors but fewer acting opportunities. The new legislation also brings into question diverse state laws regarding the right of publicity for deceased individuals. While states like New York have comprehensive laws, others offer little protection.
“I could be hit by a bus tomorrow and that’s it, but my performances can go on and on and on,” said Tom Hanks
In the era of digital technology, it’s crucial to balance innovation with respect for the deceased. Ensuring that digital resurrected versions of individuals are treated with dignity and that their legacies are protected is fundamental. Both celebrities and average citizens deserve to have their digital afterlives managed in ways that honor their memories.
