(RightIsRight.co) – As the world is moving way too fast for federal governments to quickly catch up, country music stars Luke Bryan and Chris Janson applauded Tennessee for groundbreaking legislation that protects artists against the unauthorized duplication of their vocals by artificial intelligence (AI).
This legislative milestone is known as the ELVIS Act, an acronym for Ensuring Likeness Voice and Image Security Act, and was signed into law by Governor Bill Lee.
During a celebration held at a Nashville honky tonk, Bryan expressed his admiration for Tennessee’s proactive approach and highlighted the state’s commitment to defending the rights and hard-earned achievements of its artists.
“What an amazing stance or precedent to set for the state of Tennessee to get in front of this, to be the leaders of this,” Bryan remarked to those gathered, as reported by the Tennessean.
Janson addressed the crowd to underscore the significant impact of AI on artists’ livelihoods. “People can’t come to shows and hear live music if we don’t put a stop to the fakeness,” Janson observed. “We came to a real city to make real music for real people.”
He further commented on the integrity of music, noting, “In the realm of AI, authenticity inevitably shines through. Here, it’s believed that the most outstanding song prevails.”
Governor Lee’s press statement reflected on the novelty of the law by explaining that while previous legislation covered name, image and likeness, the ELVIS Act is unique since it targets technological advancements that allow creating fake works mimicking an individual’s image and voice.
At the law’s signing, recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) Chairman and CEO Mitch Glazier praised its clarity and the protection it offers artists outside the scope of First Amendment rights.
“I thought that this bill did a great job of giving guidance about what those First Amendment protections are, but very importantly, it said if it’s protected by the First Amendment, that’s fine,” Glazier stated.
He added, “But if it’s not protected by the First Amendment, Tennessee is going to act to protect artists. I thought that was a great line.”
As the first of its kind in the United States, this trailblazing legislation empowers artists and rights holders to pursue legal action for infringements and classifies violations as a Class A misdemeanor.
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