On June 18, the Senate Judiciary Committee unanimously approved the Recording Academy-backed NO FAKES Act (S. 4591/H.R.8915) by voice vote, advancing the bipartisan legislation to the full Senate for consideration. The historic vote brings Congress one step closer to establishing the first comprehensive federal protections against the unauthorized use of a person’s voice, image, and likeness through AI-generated digital replicas.
Since 2024, The Recording Academy, also known as the Grammys, has made the NO FAKES Act (Nurture Originals, Foster Art, and Keep Entertainment Safe Act) its top advocacy initiative.
This year, more than 200 Grammy-winning and -nominated artists went to Capitol Hill to make the case for supporting the Act during the annual Grammys on the Hill (GOTH) visits with Congressional leaders. The victory of the NO FAKES Act moving forward to full Senate consideration comes on the 25th anniversary of GOTH’s existence and efforts.
“This is important because it shows we are able to bridge the divide between artists, creators, and the policymakers who make decisions impacting how artists make a living and how they work,” said Todd Dupler, chief advocacy and public policy officer at The Recording Academy. “There has always been this perception for the creative community that policymakers are not accessible. For lawmakers, maybe they may not realize the impact they can have on creatives.
For proponents of the legislation, two key points of the NO FAKES Act are:
- Giving every American a right in their voice and likeness from invasive AI deepfakes and voice clones – not just celebrities and other prominent figures
- Expressly protecting First Amendment uses such as for news reporting and parody
Dozens of organizations have voiced their support for the NO FAKES legislation.
Mitch Glazier, chairman and CEO of the D.C.-based Recording Industry Association of America® (RIAA) explained how, along with The Recording Academy, other individuals and businesses have supported the passage of the legislation. Supporters of the bill include: SAG-AFTRA, the Motion Picture Association, YouTube, IBM, TikTok, OpenAI, The Walt Disney Company, Creative Artists Agency, Human Artistry Campaign, Nashville Songwriters Association International, AFL-CIO, National Association of Broadcasters, and National Music Publishers’ Association, among many others.
“An extraordinary cross-sector coalition, including the creative community, child safety groups, free market groups, labor unions, free speech advocates, and AI developers has come together to support these protections,” said Glazier. “Americans worry about the impact of AI deepfakes on authenticity, society and culture. The NO FAKES Act answers the call.”
