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New Bill to Combat AI Deepfakes and Protect Creators with Watermarks

Author

Alicia Shapiro
July 12, 2024 • Estimated Reading Time: 3 minutes

An illustration depicting the new bill to combat AI deepfakes and protect creators' rights. The image features a legislative document symbolizing the new bill, a watermark icon representing the watermarking of AI-generated content, and digital media icons such as a video, audio, and text symbolizing various types of content affected. The background includes subtle elements of AI technology, like circuit patterns and data streams, emphasizing the bill's focus on transparency and data protection for creators

New Bill to Combat AI Deepfakes and Protect Creators with Watermarks

A bipartisan group of United States Senators [Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.)]has introduced a new bill aimed at combating artificial intelligence deepfakes and better protecting the rights of creators through the use of “watermarking” content. Led by Democratic Party Senator Maria Cantwell, the bill outlines measures to address AI-generated content and expand protections for online creators.

Content Origin Protection and Integrity from Edited and Deepfaked Media Act (COPIED Act)

The Content Origin Protection and Integrity from Edited and Deepfaked Media Act, or COPIED Act, calls for a standardized method for watermarking AI-generated content online. This bill proposes guidelines requiring AI service providers to enable creators to embed information regarding the originality of their content in a way that AI tools cannot remove or exclude.

Senator Cantwell's Statement

In a statement to the US Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation on July 11, Senator Cantwell emphasized the need for transparency in AI-generated content. She stated, “The COPIED Act will also put creators, including local journalists, artists, and musicians, back in control of their content with a provenance and watermark process that I think is very much needed.”

Background and Recent Developments

AI’s capability to scrape vast amounts of data from the web has come under scrutiny, particularly following a lawsuit by The New York Times against OpenAI for copyright and intellectual property violations. This case has highlighted the need for better protection of creators' rights.

More recently, technology giants like Microsoft and Apple have distanced themselves from OpenAI due to increasing concerns from global regulators over privacy and data violations. On July 10, Microsoft announced its withdrawal from OpenAI’s board, just one year after making a $13 billion investment in the firm.

In June, European Union regulators indicated that OpenAI could face an antitrust investigation over its partnership with Microsoft, further underlining the growing regulatory scrutiny on AI practices.