A bipartisan group of lawmakers has reintroduced the proposed "No Fakes Act," a bill aimed at limiting the unauthorized use of people's voices and likenesses in AI-generated content.
With the advancement of AI technology tools available more broadly, online creators have been using "digital replicas" – AI-created versions of a person's voice or appearance - in songs, videos, advertisements, or online scams without consent.
The bill is formally called the Nurture Originals, Foster Art, and Keep Entertainment Safe Act. It was reintroduced on May 20. It has gained strong support from major media and entertainment companies, including Universal Music Group, Sony Music, Warner Music Group, Disney, and YouTube, along with unions such as SAG-AFTRA and music labels trade group The Recording Industry Association of America.
The lawmakers proposing the legislation are U.S. Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), along with U.S. Representatives Maria Salazar (R-Fla.) and Madeleine Dean (D-Penn.)
The proposal would create a federal right allowing individuals to sue over unauthorized AI-generated replicas of their voice or image. It also includes exceptions for satire, news reporting, and research uses, while adding a "counter-notice" process intended to protect free speech.
The legislation was first introduced in 2024 but was revised and reintroduced in 2026 after negotiations with technology companies, streaming services, researchers, and free speech groups.
A point of debate has focused on how online platforms would manage takedown requests and limits liability for services that remove unauthorized replicas quickly.
Lawmakers cited a 2023, a viral song titled "Heart on My Sleeve" that used AI versions of Drake and The Weeknd, which streaming services have attempted to remove.
In another dispute, actress Scarlett Johansson said AI company Open Ai created a chatbot voice that sounded "eerily similar" to hers after she declined to participate. OpenAI denied intentionally copying her voice and paused the feature.
Entertainment and media companies have become some of the law's strongest supporters. Record labels, film studios, talent agencies, and broadcasters rely heavily on licensing celebrity voices and images as part of their business models. AI-generated replicas could reduce the value of those agreements or allow fake content to compete with official productions.
Supporters say the bill would help protect against unwanted AI deep fakes while still enabling innovation.
Labor unions and creator organizations have also pushed for protections. During the 2023 Hollywood strikes, AI became a major issue for actors and writers worried that studios could digitally reproduce performers without additional pay or approval. SAG-AFTRA has repeatedly argued that performers should control how their digital likenesses are used.
Opponents of the proposed law have warned that broad "likeness rights" could interfere with parody, memes, or political commentary. Others question how platforms would determine whether an AI-generated voice is truly unauthorized.
Researchers and archivists pushed lawmakers to add exemptions for libraries and academic study. Open-source AI developers and smaller startups are also concerned that large compliance requirements could favor major corporations that already have legal and moderation teams.
Other AI-related issues emerging from the ability to create digital replicas include concerns about election misinformation, voice-cloning scams, and nonconsensual deepfakes.
The No Fakes Act is still a proposal that is making its way through Congress. The continuing debate over the bill will involve lawmakers, companies, and interested constituents negotiating how to balance personal rights, creative expression and the continued development of AI.
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