Tennessee’s ELVIS Act Becomes Law, Protecting Every Person's Unique Voice

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Story by Inside Radio

Luke Bryan and Chris Janson were on hand Thursday as Tennessee Governor Bill Lee signed the “Ensuring Likeness Voice and Image Security (ELVIS) Act into law during a press conference at Robert’s Western World in Nashville. The first-in-the-nation ELVIS Act establishes protections for every person's unique voice and likeness against unauthorized artificial intelligence (AI) deepfakes and voice clones.

Along with explicitly including a person’s voice as a protected right for the first time, the ELVIS Act also broadens which uses of one’s name, image, photograph and voice are barred.

“The leaders of this show artists who are moving here following their dreams to know that our state protects what we work so hard for,” Bryan said during the event, “and I personally want to thank all of our legislators and people made this bill happen.”

Other artists who attended the signing include Natalie Grant, Bernie Herms, Matt Maher, Maggie Rose, Wendy Moten, Drew Baldridge and Harper Grace.

"This bill is so much bigger than just the music community,” said Mitch Glazier, Chairman and CEO of the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and a founding member of the Human Artistry Campaign. “This bill protects all Tennesseans.”

Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr. called it “a groundbreaking achievement in the effort to protect human creators in the age of AI.” Mason also said the bill’s passage in Tennessee is “just the beginning — as AI continues to develop, the Recording Academy and our members will continue to support meaningful legislation across the country that uplifts music people and human creativity.”

Broadcasters and artists have a common cause when it comes to artificial intelligence, The Recording Academy’s Chief Advocacy and Public Policy Officer, Todd Dupler, told CRS attendees last month during an “AI and Identity” session. “Whether you are a talk-show host or a DJ or somebody live on the air, you build an audience that trusts you,” he said. “You have a brand that people rely on in your voice that’s recognizable. It's a voice that as soon as they hear it, they know who you are, and they know whether they like to listen to you. So somebody can take that and use it to say things that you have never said or to leverage it for something that you would never do. That can be damaging to your reputation, to your livelihood, and to your life.”

Pictured, L-R: House Majority Leader William Lamberth (R-44), Luke Bryan, Governor Bill Lee, Chris Janson, RIAA CEO/Chairman Mitch Glazier & State Senate Majority Leader Jack Johnson (R-27).