TLDR: A bipartisan bill, the NO FAKES Act, is gaining significant traction with support from nearly 400 artists and major industry players like YouTube and Disney. The legislation aims to protect individuals’ voices and likenesses from unauthorized AI-generated deepfakes, with a recent Senate hearing highlighting the urgent need for its passage.
In a pivotal Senate hearing titled ‘The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly: AI-Generated Deepfakes in 2025,’ a broad coalition of artists, actors, and industry leaders rallied behind the NO FAKES Act. This bipartisan bill, spearheaded by Senators Chris Coons (D-Del.) and Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), seeks to establish robust protections for individuals against the unauthorized replication of their voice and likeness through artificial intelligence.
The legislation, initially introduced in 2023 and reintroduced with expanded provisions, has garnered widespread support. Nearly 400 artists and actors, including prominent figures such as 21 Savage, Billy Idol, Joe Walsh, Lainey Wilson, Common, Reba McEntire, Elvis Costello, Peter Frampton, Steven Tyler, Mary J. Blige, Jack Nicholson, and Scarlett Johansson, have signed a petition advocating for its passage. The Human Artistry Campaign, a key proponent, emphasized that this diverse coalition underscores the vital importance of the NO FAKES Act in preventing AI-generated deepfakes and fraud.
Beyond individual artists, the bill has also secured endorsements from major industry players, including the RIAA, YouTube, The Walt Disney Company, and OpenAI. This broad consensus, encompassing both creative-sector giants and leading tech companies, significantly increases the bill’s prospects for successful legislative journey. Harvey Mason Jr., CEO of the Recording Academy, stated that the NO FAKES Act is a major step forward in ensuring AI is used ethically and equitably, providing needed certainty and clarity to all stakeholders.
The updated iteration of the NO FAKES Act includes more comprehensive provisions related to liability exclusions, penalties for online services and individuals, and subpoena particulars. Senator Blackburn highlighted the threat posed by the proliferation of digital replicas created without consent, emphasizing that the bill is a monumental step in protecting the creative community and all American artists and creators. Country music singer Martina McBride, who testified in support of the bill, noted that the NO FAKES Act perfectly complements the recently signed Take It Down Act by preventing AI deepfakes that exploit someone’s voice or likeness for harassment, bullying, and fraud.
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Senators on both sides of the aisle expressed concerns about a House proposal that could prevent states from regulating AI for a decade, with Senator Blackburn specifically opposing the overriding of state laws like Tennessee’s ELVIS Act, which prohibits AI replication of artists’ voices without consent. The hearing also addressed the alarming rise in sexually explicit deepfake content, with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) reporting a 1,325% increase in generative AI-related reports from 2023 to 2024, underscoring the urgent need for legislative action to protect all Americans, including children, from deepfake abuses and voice clone scams.
