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Authors Guild Applauds Senators Brian Schatz (D-HI) and John Kennedy (R-LA) for Introducing the AI Labeling Act of 2023

Artificial Intelligence

November 2, 2023

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The Authors Guild applauds Senators Brian Schatz (D-HI) and John Kennedy (R-LA) for introducing the AI Labeling Act of 2023. The bill would require that every generative AI system that produces images, videos, audio, or multimedia content should include a clear and conspicuous disclosure that it was created through a generative AI system.

The Authors Guild believes that it is crucial for our culture and the future of democracy to ensure that our literature and arts remain vibrant and diverse. Generative artificial intelligence is already having a significant impact on human creators and the future of our arts. Given the recent rise in unregulated development of generative AI systems using copyrighted works without permission and compensation to authors, and the increasing use of that technology to generate works that dilute the market for human-authored works, we are committed to protecting and advancing the interests of our membership throughout the U.S. and the world by ensuring that AI companies, and their generative models, adhere to the fundamental “Three C’s:” Consent, Credit, and Compensation.

For this reason, the Authors Guild wholeheartedly endorses the AI Labeling Act of 2023. It is essential as a matter of protecting speech and information freedoms—as well as promoting cultural advancement—that consumers know when they are interacting, looking, listening to, or reading something that was generated by generative AI machines and systems rather than human beings.

In short, AI creations should be labeled as such for reasons such as (1) transparency, (2) accountability, (3) informed decision-making, and (4) preserving human creativity and jobs. We will continue to work with Senators Schatz and Kennedy, as well as all other Members of Congress, to advance this bill to ensure our voices are heard.

The bill text is available here.