On November 16, 2023, the Federal Trade Commission (the “FTC”) announced a competition seeking solutions to protect consumers from voice cloning technology harms. Voice cloning technology can create a nearly identical clone of someone’s voice based on a short audio clip and is becoming more sophisticated as text-to-speech AI advances. The FTC cited concerns about
European Parliament Adopts its Position on the EU Media Freedom Act
On October 3, 2023, an overwhelming majority of the European Parliament (“Parliament”) adopted its position on the EU Media Freedom Act (the “Act”), introducing a number of amendments to the text of the Act as proposed by the European Commission (the “Commission”).
The Commission’s proposal for a Regulation establishing a common framework for media services
From Washington to Brussels: A Comparative Look at the Biden Administration’s Executive Order and the EU’s AI Act
On October 30, 2023, days ahead of government leaders convening in the UK for an international AI Safety Summit, the White House issued an Executive Order (“EO”) outlining an expansive strategy to support the development and deployment of safe and secure AI technologies (for further details on the EO, see our blog here). As
FCC Releases Notice of Inquiry into Broadband Speed Benchmark and Related Issues
On November 1, the Federal Communications Commission (“FCC”) released a Notice of Inquiry (“NOI”) that will initiate an assessment into the availability and quality of broadband service nationwide. The assessment, which is required by statute, will rely on information generated by the FCC’s new Broadband Data Collection (“BDC”) to evaluate progress towards broadband universal service
Motion to Dismiss Granted in Case About The Intersection of Copyright Law and Generative AI
The District Court for the Northern District of California recently granted, in substantial part, separate motions to dismiss a complaint challenging three defendants’ creation or use of Stable Diffusion, a generative artificial intelligence (“AI”) application used to generate images based on user-supplied instructions.
European Commission Proposes Alternative Dispute Resolution Framework Review
On October 17, 2023, the European Commission adopted a proposal to review the Alternative Dispute Resolution (“ADR”) framework. The review consists of: (i) a proposal to amend the ADR Directive; (ii) a proposal to repeal the Online Dispute Resolution (“ODR”) Regulation; and (iii) a recommendation addressed to online marketplace and EU trade associations.
UK Online Safety Bill Receives Royal Assent
On 26 October 2023, the UK’s Online Safety Bill received Royal Assent, becoming the Online Safety Act (“OSA”). The OSA imposes various obligations on tech companies to prevent the uploading of, and rapidly remove, illegal user content—such as terrorist content, revenge pornography, and child sexual exploitation material—from their services, and also to take steps to
G7 Countries Publish Draft Guiding Principles for Advanced AI Development
On 13 October 2023, members of the G7 released a set of draft guiding principles (“Principles”) for organisations developing advanced AI systems, including generative AI and foundational models.
In parallel, the European Commission launched a stakeholder survey (“Survey”) on the Principles, inviting any interested parties to comment by 20 October 2023. After the Survey is
Anti-Spoofing Caller ID Bill Introduced in Wisconsin
On October 16, 2023, a group of Wisconsin state senators introduced S.B. 531, which would amend the state’s telephone solicitation statute to create new restrictions on “caller identification records,” which the bill defines in relevant part as “a record that is delivered electronically to the recipient of a telephone call or text message .
FCC to Consider Inquiry into AI’s Effects on Illegal Robocalls and Texts
Yesterday, FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel announced that she will be circulating for consideration to her fellow commissioners a proposed Notice of Inquiry (“NOI”) that will seek to develop a public record on how artificial intelligence capabilities may be affecting the proliferation of illegal robocalls and texts, and what tools may be available to address this