TLDR:
– The estate of George Carlin has filed a lawsuit against the media company Dudesy over a fake hourlong comedy special that claims to use artificial intelligence to recreate Carlin’s style and material.
– The lawsuit alleges violations of Carlin’s right of publicity and copyright and asks that the special be immediately taken down.
The estate of comedian George Carlin has filed a lawsuit against media company Dudesy over a fake comedy special that purportedly uses artificial intelligence (AI) to recreate Carlin’s style and material. The lawsuit, filed in federal court in Los Angeles, asks that a judge order Dudesy to immediately take down the audio special, titled “George Carlin: I’m Glad I’m Dead”. Carlin’s daughter, Kelly Carlin, characterized the work as “a poorly-executed facsimile cobbled together by unscrupulous individuals to capitalize on the extraordinary goodwill my father established with his adoring fanbase”. The lawsuit alleges violations of Carlin’s right of publicity and copyright, and the named defendants are Dudesy and podcast hosts Will Sasso and Chad Kultgen. The lawsuit states that the defendants did not have permission to use Carlin’s likeness or any of his copyrighted materials.
At the beginning of the special, a voiceover identifies itself as the AI engine used by Dudesy and claims to have listened to 50 years of Carlin’s material in order to imitate his voice, cadence, and attitude. The plaintiffs argue that if this is how the special was created, Carlin’s copyright was violated. The lawsuit highlights a growing issue related to the use of AI to recreate celebrity images and likenesses without proper authorization. Josh Schiller, an attorney for the plaintiffs, noted that the case is not just about AI, but about the humans who use AI to violate the law, infringe on intellectual property rights, and flout common decency. This lawsuit is among the first of what is likely to be a series of legal actions aimed at addressing this issue.