SAG-AFTRA, Nadella Condemn AI-Generated Explicit Swift Content
A controversy has arisen surrounding the use of artificial intelligence to generate explicit images of celebrities, most notably of singer Taylor Swift. These AI-generated images gained widespread attention, accumulating 45 million views before being removed from a social media platform. The delay in taking down the content, which took approximately 17 hours, has prompted criticism and calls for more robust action against such material.
In response to the incident, SAG-AFTRA, the union representing actors and performers, has urged for the passage of the Preventing Deepfakes of Intimate Images Act, a piece of legislation proposed by New York Congressman Joe Morelle, which seeks to outlaw the creation and distribution of such images. The White House has echoed this sentiment, advocating for legislative measures to address the issue.
Meanwhile, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella has described the incident as "alarming and terrible," acknowledging the involvement of Microsoft's Designer image generator as a tool recommended by an online community for creating nonconsensual pornographic content. While Nadella emphasized the importance of societal norms in combating the problem, there is skepticism about whether technology alone can provide a solution. Reports suggest that technical fixes could be implemented, such as retraining open AI tools to reduce the generation of not-safe-for-work (NSFW) content, despite existing measures intended to prevent it.
The broader context of this issue touches on the potential effects of artificial intelligence on various entertainment sectors, including cinema, streaming, sports, and gaming. The proliferation of fake AI content has raised concerns about its impact on pop culture and public figures, with the conversation extending to a wider discussion about the future of the entertainment industry in the digital age.
