Creators of AI-generated George Carlin special sued by late comedian’s estate -Gudstory

The estate of George Carlin has filed a copyright infringement lawsuit against media company Dudesi, which used generative artificial intelligence to create a one-hour fake comedy special that mimicked the dead star’s voice and comedy style. The complaint, filed Thursday in Los Angeles federal court, alleges that Carlin’s copyrighted material and likeness was used without permission or proper license, calling the special a “piece of computer-generated click-bait that Diminishes the value of Carlin’s comic works and harms his reputation.”

AI-generated special, title George Carlin: I’m glad I’m dead, was released on January 9 on the Dudesci Podcast’s YouTube channel, where it is live and has since received nearly 500,000 views. Dudesci podcast hosts Will Sasso and Chad Kultgen, also named in the complaint, responded to criticism of the special several days after its release, referring to the AI ​​as “the next paintbrush” and saying it is a “new tool that Is going to be “used in every aspect of life.”

Under the lawsuit, Carlin’s estate is seeking an unspecified figure of damages as well as the immediate removal and destruction of all copies of the counterfeit special. “The Dudes special is a trivialization of Carlin’s actual work and his legacy,” the complaint alleges. “George Carlin, if he were alive today, might well have commented on the topics discussed in the Dudesie special, but he would have had control over what those comments were.”

The fake special has been widely condemned by Carlin’s fans and family members, who believe it to be a mockery of the late comedian’s work. “My father spent his entire life honing his art with his human life, mind and imagination. His daughter said, “No machine can ever replace his genius.” Kelly Carlin said in a statement, “These AI-generated products are clever attempts at trying to recreate a brain that will never exist again. Let’s let the artist’s work speak for itself.”

This isn’t the first time Dudesi has gained attention by using AI to mimic notable celebrities. Last April, former NFL star Tom Brady threatened to file a similar lawsuit against another AI-generated comedy special that the company created using his likeness. video, title it’s too easy! An hour-long mock comedy special It has since been removed from Dudesi’s YouTube channel.

Concerns about the abilities of generative AI to digitally replicate actors’ likenesses and voices played a visible role in the SAG-AFTRA strike last year, as actors railed against informed consent and compensation for the use of AI in the entertainment industry. Struggled to secure. The bipartisan No Fake Act proposed by US senators last October also seeks to introduce laws that protect artists from being digitally replicated without their consent.