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signed by Governor Bill Lee on March 21, 2024
governmentThis official government announcement documents a landmark early state-level AI governance action; useful as a concrete policy case study for AI regulation focused on identity, voice, and creative rights rather than existential or systemic AI risks.
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Importance: 45/100press releaseprimary source
Summary
Tennessee Governor Bill Lee signed the ELVIS Act (Ensuring Likeness Voice and Image Security Act) on March 21, 2024, making Tennessee the first state to legally protect musicians and performers from unauthorized AI voice cloning and deepfake impersonation. The law expands existing personal rights protections to explicitly include 'voice' alongside name, image, and likeness. It represents an early concrete example of state-level AI governance responding to generative AI harms in a specific industry.
Key Points
- •First U.S. state law specifically addressing AI-generated synthetic media threats to musicians, updating Tennessee's Protection of Personal Rights law to include voice protections.
- •Targets generative AI cloning models and services enabling unauthorized impersonation, closing a gap in existing name/image/likeness protections.
- •Backed by broad music industry coalition including RIAA, ASCAP, Academy of Country Music, and others, reflecting industry-driven policy advocacy.
- •Protects an industry contributing $5.8 billion to Tennessee's GDP and over 61,000 jobs, framing AI governance as an economic and cultural issue.
- •Signals momentum for similar legislation in other states and at the federal level, serving as a policy template for AI personality rights.
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| Page | Type | Quality |
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| US State AI Legislation Landscape | Analysis | 70.0 |
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PHOTOS: Gov. Lee Signs ELVIS Act Into Law
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PHOTOS: Gov. Lee Signs ELVIS Act Into Law
Tennessee First in the Nation to Address AI Impact on Music Industry
Thursday, March 21, 2024 | 03:08pm
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Today, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee was joined by legislative leadership and music industry professionals as he signed the Ensuring Likeness Voice and Image Security (ELVIS) Act , first-of-its-kind legislation updating Tennessee’s Protection of Personal Rights law to include protections or songwriters, performers, and music industry professionals’ voice from the misuse of artificial intelligence (AI).
Click here to download photos from the signing.
Tennessee’s music industry supports more than 61,617 jobs across the state, contributes $5.8 billion to our GDP, and fills over 4,500 music venues .
“From Beale Street to Broadway, to Bristol and beyond, Tennessee is known for our rich artistic heritage that tells the story of our great state,” said Gov. Lee. “As the technology landscape evolves with artificial intelligence, I thank the General Assembly for its partnership in creating legal protection for our best-in-class artists and songwriters.”
While Tennessee’s preexisting law protected name, image, and likeness, it did not specifically address new, personalized generative AI cloning models and services that enable human impersonation and allow users to make unauthorized fake works in the image and voice of others. Artists and musicians at all levels are facing exploitation and the theft of their integrity, identity, and humanity. This threatens the future of Tennessee’s creators, the jobs that they support across the state and country, and the bonds between fans and their favorite bands.
The ELVIS Act builds upon existing state rule protecting against the unauthorized use of someone’s likeness by adding “voice” to the realm it protects.
“Once again, Tennessee is leading the nation. Today, the ELVIS Act becomes the first-of-its-kind law to protect musicians from AI-generated synthetic media. The rapid advancement of AI is exciting in many ways, but it also presents new challenges – especially for singers, songwriters, and other music professionals. I was proud to work with Gov. Lee and my colleagues in the General Assembly to modernize our laws to ensure AI does not threaten the unique voices and creative content of Tennessee musicians.” -Senate Majority Leader Jack Johnson, R-Franklin
“The ELVIS Act puts in critical safeguards to protect the humanity and artistic expression of Tennessee innovators and creators. While we support the responsible advancement of this t
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