[ad_1]
LOS ANGELES — George Carlin’s estate is suing the media company behind a fake one-hour comedy special that allegedly used artificial intelligence to recreate the late stand-up comic’s style and tropes.
A lawsuit filed Thursday in federal court in Los Angeles asks a judge to order podcast distribution company Dudessy to immediately remove an audio special, “George Carlin: Glad You’re Dead,” in which Carlin’s synthesized voice provides commentary. I’m asking you to give me an order. About current events. Karlin He passed away in 2008.
What you need to know
- The lawsuit alleges infringement of Carlin’s publicity rights and copyright.
- Named as defendants are Dudecy and podcast hosts Will Sasso and Chad Krutgen.
- This case is one of the first in a growing number of large-scale legal actions to combat the reuse of celebrity images and likenesses.
- AI issues became a major stalemate in resolving last year’s Hollywood writers’ and actors’ strike
Carlin’s daughter, Kelly Carlin, said in a statement that the film is “a poorly made copy concocted by unscrupulous individuals to capitalize on my father’s rabid fan base and extraordinary goodwill.” said.
Carlin’s estate and her executor, Jerrold Hamza, are named as plaintiffs in the lawsuit alleging infringement of Carlin’s image rights and copyright. Named as defendants are Dudecy and podcast hosts Will Sasso and Chad Krutgen.
“None of the defendants had permission to use Carlin’s likeness in the AI-generated ‘George Carlin Special,’ nor did they have a license to use the late comedian’s copyrighted work,” the complaint states. ”.
The defendants have not filed a response to the lawsuit, and it is not clear whether they have retained attorneys. No comments were received.
At the beginning of the special, posted on YouTube on Jan. 9, a voiceover identifying the AI engine used by Dudesee listens to 50 years of material from the comic and “imitates his voice, rhythm, and demeanor as well.” I think he would be interested in the subject today. ”
The plaintiffs argue that if it was in fact created that way — and some listeners have questioned its stated origins — it would mean that Carlin’s copyright was infringed. claims to mean.
The company also released a podcast episode in which Sasso and Krutgen introduce and comment on Mock Karlin, as they often do with similar projects.
“Was what you just heard so-so?” Mr. Krutgen said in a passage from the episode cited in the lawsuit.
“Oh, that sounded just like George Carlin,” Sasso replied.
The case is one of the first in a growing number of large-scale legal actions to combat the reuse of celebrity images and likenesses.
The AI issue became a major stalemate in resolving the Hollywood writers’ and actors’ strike last year.
“This lawsuit is not just about AI, it’s about humans using AI to violate laws, infringe on intellectual property rights, and disregard common sense,” Josh Schiller, an attorney for the plaintiffs, said in a statement. ” he said.
[ad_2]
Source link
