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3 Min
Yesterday, Metaphysic CEO Tom Graham made history by becoming the first person to register his AI likeness with the U.S. Copyright Office for copyright protection. Metaphysic, a pioneer in generative AI technology, creates hyperreal content and champions individual ownership and control of their AI likenesses and biometric data. Through this submission, Graham showcases the blurring line between real-life and computer-generated media by utilizing legal institutions and current laws and regulations.
His aim, along with Metaphysic, is to establish a fresh set of intellectual property rights that will be accessible to everyone in the future.
“Generative AI can create content that looks and feels real, and regular people’s avatars can be inserted into content by third parties without their consent. This is not right, and we should never lose control over our identity, privacy or biometric data,” said Thomas Graham, CEO of Metaphysic.
“I hope that copyright registration of the photo-realistic AI-generated version of myself will increase my ability to take action against unauthorized AI impersonations of myself in the future. Today’s law supports that. We all need to work hard to ensure that future laws and regulations strengthen individual’s rights and protect vulnerable members of society.”
To create his AI likeness, Graham recorded a three-minute video with his phone. This video captured his voice, biometric data, and physical appearance. Then, Metaphysic used its advanced hyperreal AI tools to develop a lifelike Graham avatar. Throughout the process, Graham worked closely with Metaphysic to select the training data and refine the AI’s appearance. They also integrated the AI model into the video to accurately represent Graham’s hyperrealistic avatar.
Certainly, the widespread adoption of AI technology will rely on maintaining data ownership and protecting individual rights. Metaphysic is introducing groundbreaking technologies. Graham’s AI likeness shows how registering copyright can help public figures and individuals protect their identities, performances, and brands.
Therefore, the information here, including any future comments or updates, is not legal advice and should not be seen as such. In fact, this statement serves only general informational purposes. Graham and Metaphysic believe that Graham’s AI likeness qualifies as man-made work that is eligible for copyright protection under the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976. It can also be registered with the U.S. Copyright Office. However, future laws and regulations regarding AI likeness copyright and individual rights against infringement remain unclear.
Graham and Metaphysic aim to drive the conversation on privacy and individual rights. This is especially crucial as generative AI technologies become more realistic and harder to distinguish from reality.