(LibertyInsider.org) – Ever since artificial intelligence (AI) has become more prominent, there have been concerns that it goes too far. The estate of the late comedian George Carlin has filed a lawsuit over a comedy special reportedly created by AI, but it’s not just about the technology. They want to hold the creators accountable as well.
The case was filed in the Central District of California on Thursday, January 25, and seeks to hold defendants Chad Kultgen and Will Sasso accountable for copyright infringement and violating the right of publicity. The duo, who run the podcast “Dudesy,” uploaded a 1-hour special entitled “George Carlin: I’m Glad I’m Dead” on YouTube.
Carlin’s daughter spoke out about the video, saying it is “a poorly executed facsimile “put” together by unscrupulous individuals,” intending to capitalize on the late comedian’s fanbase. The lawsuit points out that the duo sought the required “permission” to us a likeness of Carlin for the AI-generated work, and they didn’t have “a license to use any of [his] copyrighted materials.”
From comments received online, it seems that many aren’t a fan of the patched-together work, either. Others speculated that the content may not have been entirely generated by AI. Kyle Orland, a writer for Ars Technica, notes that the models aren’t advanced enough to create an hour-long show like the duo claims. Orland even goes so far as to say that the podcast using AI is a “kayfabe,” or a portrayal of events as being real and true.
Further adding to the mystery is a statement from Sasso’s spokeswoman, Danielle Del, who said Dudesy isn’t AI as the duo claim, and the Carlin special wasn’t AI-generated but rather “completely written by Chad Kultgen.” She didn’t elaborate on whether or not the voice portraying Carlin is actually AI. Despite this claim, the comedian’s estate is moving forward with the suit.
After the lawsuit was filed, the video was turned off to the public.
Copyright 2024, LibertyInsider.org
