Illinois Senate passes artificial intelligence protections for artists

The Illinois Senate approved a bill Friday that would allow artists to sue entities that replicate their work through artificial intelligence without their consent.

The bill, HB4875, does not apply in special circumstances, such as news, satire and parody. 

“Recording artists and musicians have never had an easy path, especially starting out,” State Rep. Jennifer Gong-Gershowitz (D-Glenview) said in a Friday news release. “HB4875 gives artists a path to restitution when their likeness is used to generate profit without their authorization.”

Earlier in the week, the Senate also passed the Digital Voice and Likeness Protection Act, which requires artists to have representation during negotiations and prevents contractors from replacing artists with AI-generated content.

State Sen. Mary Edly-Allen (D-Libertyville) sponsored both bills.

“While AI is a powerful tool with the potential to do much good, guardrails are necessary to protect artists and the general public,” Edly-Allen said in the Friday news release.

Both bills will return to the Illinois House for a concurrence vote because the bills were changed during the Senate’s decision.

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