There’s no playbook to ensure your likeness doesn’t end up in an AI-generated video, so here are some resources that offer help.
The rise of artificial intelligence models able to quickly generate videos out of the slimmest of content have sparked concern from high-profile figures, celebrities and entertainers wondering: Will I end up as AI slop?
That fear came to life last month when OpenAI launched the Sora 2 AI video generator and the Sora social app, only further raising the question of what recourse individuals – average Joes and superstar celebrities alike – have to prevent their likeness from being used to either train the models or be the subject of AI-generated video.
As such, I set out to write a step-by-step guide on how to protect yourself. No such guide exists for a reason: the laws governing AI either don’t apply to huge swaths of this country or haven’t been passed yet, and different companies have different policies.
But there are some resources available, including some from the companies themselves. Here are the basics on what you need to know about your likeness and AI, from what’s available now to the potential remedies coming down the line.
Hoping for the law to catch up to AI models that are constantly updating and expanding is fruitless. But there are some laws that provide protection — if you happen to live in the right place.
It’s no coincidence that California, home to many of the technology companies investing in AI models and components, is one state that offers such protections. It has several statutes that allow you to pursue civil action for the unauthorized use of name, voice, signature, likeness or a photo under the AI Transparency Act.
There’s also a post-mortem right to privacy that lasts 70 years after death.
“It has the most developed body of law,” said Jeffrey Rosenthal, an attorney and partner in Blank Rome’s privacy, security and data protection group.
Thanks to Nashville’s big music scene, Tennessee is another state with firm protections under the ELVIS Act, or Ensure Likeness Voice and Image Security Act, which was signed into law in 2024. In addition to the elements protected in California, it also offers protection against the unauthorized use of lyrics – especially when it comes to AI.
