US Senators Introduce New Bill to Combat AI Deepfakes Using Watermarks

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A bipartisan coalition of US Senators has established the Content Origin Protection and Integrity from Edited and Deepfaked Media Act (COPIED Act). The Act, led by Democratic Senator Maria Cantwell, proposes various measures to tackle deepfakes and AI copycats. 

The new legislative effort addresses the growing problem of AI-generated deep fakes and unauthorized copying by implementing watermarking technology to protect original content.

New Bill Addresses AI Deepfakes

The COPIED Act seeks to establish a universal system for watermarking AI-generated content. This development ensures creators can embed unique markers that AI tools cannot alter or remove.

The initiative aims to provide greater transparency and authenticity for online content, allowing creators to maintain control over their work.

Senator Cantwell emphasized the importance of this bill in a statement to the Senate Committee on Commerce, Transportation, and Science on July 11. She highlighted the need for creators, including artists, journalists, and musicians, to regain control over their intellectual property.

Recent legal battles and increasing scrutiny of AI practices have reinforced the motivation for this bill. For instance, The New York Times has sued OpenAI, accusing the company of copyright and intellectual property violations due to its data scraping activities.

Such concerns have also led giant technology companies, like Microsoft and Apple, to distance themselves from OpenAI.

Microsoft announced its departure from OpenAI’s board on July 10, just a year after making a significant $13 billion investment in the company. This move comes amid growing global regulatory concerns about privacy and data misuse in the AI industry.

More so, European Union regulators are also examining OpenAI’s activities, with potential antitrust investigations looming due to its partnership with Microsoft.

These developments reflect the urgent need for robust legislation like the COPIED Act to protect creators and ensure the ethical use of AI technology.

AI Usage Burgeons in China

Amid the recent move by the US Senators, China forges ahead with its AI adoption. A recent SAS and Coleman Parkes Research survey revealed that China is leading the global adoption and investment of generative AI technology.

The findings, released on July 9 by the US-based AI and analytics software company, reflect the responses of 1,600 decision-makers from various industries worldwide.

The survey highlighted that 83% of Chinese respondents reported using generative AI technology. This puts China ahead of other major economies in AI adoption.

In contrast, 70% of respondents in the United Kingdom have integrated generative AI into their operations, while the United States, known for developing cutting-edge AI models, shows a 65% adoption rate.

The average global adoption rate of generative AI is 54%. This technology is used extensively in sectors such as insurance, retail, banking, telecommunications, healthcare, manufacturing, and energy.

These industries leverage AI to enhance efficiency, innovation, and competitiveness in an increasingly digital world.