Artists demand urgent AI regulations to protect identity and creative rights

During the Rome Film Festival, artists and institutions raised urgent calls for new regulations to protect human identity from generative artificial intelligence. Representatives from Nuovo Imaie expressed concerns that AI technologies could allow for the unauthorized cloning of voices and faces, potentially usurping creative assets and impacting the economic and psychological well-being of performers.

Andrea Miccichè, president of Nuovo Imaie, emphasized the need for rapid management of creative heritage to prevent the ‘vampirization’ of artistic identities. Actor Gianmarco Tognazzi argued that the struggle against AI must be a matter of principle rather than just economic negotiation, asserting that technology should serve as a technical tool rather than a replacement for human creativity. Voice actor Luca Ward noted that the risks of deepfakes and voice cloning extend beyond public figures to all individuals.

In a related development regarding AI in cinema, the fourth Burano Artificial Intelligence Film Festival (BAIFF) concluded in Venice. The festival, which explores the intersection of technology and narrative, awarded the Best AI Film prize to ‘Amal’, a short film directed by Roberta Colombo that uses AI to explore the human dimension of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The event also highlighted the emergence of new ethical codes for creativity in the age of generative technology.