The COPIED Act: Senators Push for Watermarking to Combat AI Deepfakes
A bipartisan group of US Senators has introduced a new bill aimed at addressing the growing issue of artificial intelligence (AI)-generated deepfakes. Led by Senator Maria Cantwell of the Democratic Party, the proposed legislation, known as the Content Origin Protection and Integrity from Edited and Deepfaked Media Act (COPIED Act), seeks to establish a standardized method for watermarking AI-created content shared online.
Senator Cantwell emphasized the importance of transparency in AI-generated media during a statement to the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. She highlighted the need for guidelines that would require AI service providers to enable creators to embed information about the originality of their work in a way that cannot be removed by AI tools.
The COPIED Act aims to empower creators, including journalists, artists, and musicians, by giving them control over their content through a provenance and watermarking process. This measure is seen as crucial in light of recent incidents where deepfake technology has been misused for fraudulent purposes, such as creating fake videos of prominent figures like Elon Musk to deceive viewers into making investments.
The bill’s introduction comes at a time when concerns about the potential misuse of AI technology are mounting. Warren Buffet, a prominent shareholder of Berkshire Hathaway, has likened the disruptive power of AI to that of nuclear weapons, expressing apprehension about the consequences of unleashing such technology without adequate safeguards.
By requiring AI-generated content to be marked and traceable, the COPIED Act aims to strike a balance between technological innovation and the protection of creator rights and content integrity. The bill seeks to establish a robust framework for ensuring the authenticity of digital content and safeguarding against the spread of misleading or harmful deepfakes.
As the debate over the regulation of AI technologies continues, the COPIED Act represents a significant step towards addressing the challenges posed by the proliferation of deepfake content online. With the support of bipartisan lawmakers, this legislation could play a crucial role in safeguarding the integrity of digital media in an era of rapid technological advancement.
