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Hollywood actress Scarlett Johansson has initiated legal proceedings against the developers of an artificial intelligence image editing application named "Lisa AI: 90s Yearbook & Avatar" for the unauthorized utilization of her voice and likeness in promotional material.
Variety reported that a 22-second advertisement showcases Johansson interacting with fans on the set of "Black Widow," stating, "Hey everyone, I'm Scarlett, and I want you to join me." Nevertheless, the advertisement transitions to a section where an artificially generated voice, designed to resemble Johansson's, proclaims, "The limitations are not only on avatars.
You can create images with text and even your AI videos. I don't think you should miss that." The report indicated that at the bottom of the advertisement, Convert Software, the development team behind the app, included the following disclaimer: "Images produced by Lisa AI.
Not associated with this person." Johansson's representatives informed Variety that the actress was never the face of the app, and her attorney, Kevin Jorn, is "addressing the matter from a legal perspective." "We take these issues very seriously.
In line with customary practice in such situations, we will exhaust all available legal remedies," Jorn expressed in a statement to Variety. Unauthorized utilization of an individual's voice or likeness, particularly for promotional purposes, constitutes a violation of privacy and intellectual property rights.
In Scarlett Johansson's case, this situation raises several ethical and legal concerns regarding copyright and the "right of publicity," which safeguards an individual's image and identity against commercial exploitation without consent.
AI actions can result in financial losses for the individual whose identity is exploited
The employment of artificial intelligence to replicate a person's voice or likeness can result in misleading or unwanted use, potentially damaging the person's reputation.
Furthermore, it can mislead audiences into believing that a particular personality has endorsed a product or service, potentially influencing their consumer choices. Such actions can result in financial losses for the individual whose identity is exploited, as they lose control over the commercial utilization of their image and voice.
Given the growing sophistication of voice cloning and deepfake content generation technologies, distinguishing authentic statements from artificially created ones is increasingly challenging. This not only poses the risk of disseminating false information but also underscores the necessity for more robust regulations and a legal framework to safeguard individuals' rights in the digital age.
Scarlett Johansson, being a prominent public figure and actress with a well-established global brand, faces the risk of tarnishing her own brand and potential loss of income. Additionally, such actions may jeopardize the authenticity and integrity of her artistic expression, which is an integral part of her professional career.