Official government publications and announcements

Senators Introduce COPIED Act to Protect Against AI Deepfakes and Mandate Watermarking

Jul 12, 2024, 01:00 PM

A bipartisan group of U.S. senators has introduced the COPIED Act, a new bill aimed at addressing the misuse of artificial intelligence (AI) in generating deepfakes and other synthetic content. The legislation seeks to protect journalists, artists, and songwriters by mandating the use of digital watermarks on AI-generated content. Senators Cantwell, Heinrich, and Blackburn are leading the initiative, which also proposes a ban on removing these digital watermarks. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) will be responsible for setting the standards to detect the origin of AI-generated content. The bill aims to provide transparency standards, protect intellectual property, and give creators the tools to fight unauthorized use of their work by AI models, including the ability to sue those who misuse it.