Youtube Announces A New Tool To Manage Celebrity Deepfakes
Helping its top influencers find and manage their AI copies.
Words by Damian Nicholas | 2 Minute Read
ROY ROCHLIN / GETTY IMAGES
YouTube is stepping up its efforts to address the growing concerns surrounding artificial intelligence and digital likenesses by partnering with Creative Artists Agency (CAA). The initiative aims to provide prominent influencers, including actors and athletes, with the tools needed to identify and manage their digital identities in AI-generated content.
With the rise of AI technology, worries about deepfakes have intensified, and notable figures in the entertainment industry have expressed unease about unauthorized digital reproductions of their appearances. For instance, Keanu Reeves has been proactive in safeguarding his likeness by including specific clauses in his film contracts to prevent any digital alterations. YouTube's new tools will initially target award-winning actors and elite athletes from leagues like the NBA and NFL. Set to launch this year, these tools will allow celebrities to detect AI-generated videos that replicate their likenesses and to initiate removal requests through a straightforward privacy complaint process.
In a blog post detailing the partnership, YouTube emphasized its commitment to refining this technology by collaborating with key figures impacted by recent AI advancements. The platform has been exploring similar initiatives to manage AI-generated voices, allowing music labels to pull down tracks that digitally mimic the voices of their artists without permission.
In the days ahead, we’ll work with CAA to ensure artists and creators experience the incredible potential of AI while also maintaining creative control over their likeness
– Neal Mohan. Chief Executive, YouTube
The partnership marks a pivotal moment in the fight for creative rights within an evolving landscape. Hollywood has been actively voicing concerns over the implications of AI on job security and the fair compensation of artists whose likenesses may be exploited without consent. The proliferation of deepfakes—realistic yet fabricated videos that can portray celebrities in scenarios they never participated in—has heightened these fears. Recent controversies, such as the use of Scarlett Johansson's voice by OpenAI without consent, underline the urgency of this issue. CAA has been a forerunner in championing the rights of its clients, launching the CAAvault in 2023. This innovative program allows clients to create digital versions of themselves through scanning and recording techniques. By doing so, it seeks to safeguard clients against copyright infringement while potentially opening new avenues for revenue generation.The agency has not disclosed the names or number of participants who will utilize the new tools developed in conjunction with YouTube, but its roster includes notable stars like George Clooney, Nicole Kidman, and Brad Pitt.
As CAA Chief Executive Bryan Lourd stated, “At CAA, our AI conversations are centered around ethics and talent rights. We applaud YouTube’s leadership for creating this talent-friendly solution.” This partnership represents a significant advancement in empowering artists with the control they need over their digital representations in a rapidly changing media landscape.
The collaboration between YouTube and CAA signals a growing recognition of the need for protective measures in the face of evolving digital technologies. As the entertainment industry grapples with the implications of AI, initiatives like this one will play a crucial role in shaping the ways artists engage with their audiences while safeguarding their rights and legacies.
Feb 06, 2025
Source Semafor, Yahoo Tech
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