How artists can protect their work from AI | Dr. Heather Zheng

Generative AI Impact on Identity - Generative AI models pose a serious threat to human identity by enabling the creation of fake versions of individuals using their data [6] - AI models can mimic voices with short audio recordings, leading to misuse, as seen with celebrities like Tom Hanks and Scarlett Johansson [7] - Scammers are using AI to generate fake faces and voices of loved ones to deceive seniors, and harmful content like undressing apps is being created [8] Impact on Creative Professionals - Generative AI models are trained to mimic the creations of artists, impacting their identity and livelihoods [11] - Artists are losing jobs and income due to AI-generated mimics overshadowing their work, leading some to quit or reconsider their careers [12] - Artists face a dilemma: share their work and risk it being used to train AI models, or disconnect from the community [13][14] Solutions and Tools - Glaze and Nightshade were developed as tools to protect visual artists by adding modifications to artwork that mislead AI models [16][17] - Glaze protects artistic style, while Nightshade protects individual objects or copyrighted characters [18][19] - These tools have been downloaded over 10 million times by artists from more than 160 countries [21] Regulatory and Future Considerations - The research team testified in front of state legislatures in California and Illinois on data and identity privacy, leading to regulation bills being signed into law [23] - New protective tools are being developed to disrupt deep fake facial models and undressing apps, with other researchers working on protecting audio and music [24] - Protecting creativity and identity is essential for the future, as highlighted by children's concerns [26][27]