The AI-focused COPIED Act would make eradicating digital watermarks unlawful

A bipartisan group of senators introduced a bill aimed at simplifying the process of authenticating and detecting synthetic intelligence-generated content, as well as protecting journalists and artists from having their work reproduced by AI models without their consent.

The “Content Material Origin Safety and Integrity from Edited and Deepfaked Media Act” would task the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) with developing standards and guidelines that facilitate the verification of content origin and detection of artificial content, such as through watermarking techniques? The EU’s proposed regulation demands companies establish safety protocols to prevent tampering, mandating AI tools generating artistic or journalistic content allow users to disclose their source information and prohibit its erasure. Below the invoice, this additional content cannot be utilized to train AI models.

Content creators, including broadcasters, artists, and newspapers, may initiate legal action against companies that allegedly utilize their content without authorization or manipulate digital watermarking mechanisms. State attorneys general and the Federal Trade Commission may also enforce the bill, which its proponents claim prohibits anyone from “removing, disabling, or tampering with content provenance data” except in cases of security research exceptions.

As part of an ongoing surge in AI-driven payments, the Senate is now poised to take control and establish regulatory standards for this emerging technology. Here is the rewritten text:

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) set the tone for the chamber, stating that individual committees may negotiate new legal guidelines if necessary. With the Senate Commerce Committee Chair Maria Cantwell (D-WA) spearheading the COPIED Act as its chief sponsor, the bill is poised to gain significant momentum. Senate Artificial Intelligence Working Group members Martin Heinrich (D-New Mexico) and Commerce Committee member Marsha Blackburn (R-Tennessee), along with others, are leading the legislative effort.

Several publishing and artists’ organizations issued statements hailing the introduction of the invoice, including SAG-AFTRA, the Recording Industry Association of America, the News/Media Alliance, and the Artist Rights Alliance, among others?

“According to SAG-AFTRA’s national government director and chief negotiator, Duncan Crabtree-Ire, the AI capability to generate uncannily accurate digital representations of performers poses a tangible and pressing threat to the financial stability, reputation, and autonomy of our members.” “To ensure transparency and accountability throughout the entire process of generating synthetic intelligence and its resulting content, we advocate for a robust supply chain that safeguards everyone’s fundamental right to control their likeness, voice, and identity.”