In reviewing legislation, I want to start with things that have passed.
Tennessee has passed a first-in-the-nation bill, the Ensuring Likeness, Voice and Image Security Act, to protect musicians from artificial intelligence (A.I.) by penalizing the unauthorized copying of a performer’s “voice.” The use of A.I. technology in mimicking public figures has led to increased regulations, and this new law aims to safeguard the music industry in Tennessee, which generates billions of dollars for the state and supports thousands of jobs and venues.
In policy, but not law, The White House has introduced extensive AI guidelines for the federal government, requiring agencies to stop using AI systems that infringe upon Americans’ rights or safety. The policy also emphasizes transparency and internal oversight of AI use, including appointing chief AI officers and establishing AI governance boards. The guidelines aim to ensure responsible AI adoption while harnessing its potential to improve public services and address societal challenges.
The headliner in bills that have been introduced is a bipartisan US federal data protection law called the American Privacy Rights Act, introduced by Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers and Senator Maria Cantwell. The law aims to give US citizens greater control over their personal data, strengthen cybersecurity standards, and prohibit discrimination based on personal information. It also seeks to eliminate the patchwork of state privacy laws and establish a national data privacy and security standard.
A bill introduced in the US House of Representatives would require those training AI models to disclose any copyrighted works used, and it would apply retroactively. The bill aims to increase transparency and protect creators’ rights in the age of AI. Failure to comply with the disclosure requirement could result in a penalty of at least $5,000.
California has introduced a “right to disconnect” bill, requiring employers to specify work hours and prohibit employees from responding to work-related communications while off the clock. Assemblyman Matt Haney introduced the proposition to update protections for the modern world.
In political moves, Republicans who voted against federal bills for broadband funding are now taking credit for the local broadband projects funded by those bills. Despite opposing the bills, politicians like Senator Tommy Tuberville, Governor Ron DeSantis, Governor Greg Gianforte, Senator John Cornyn, and Senator Shelley Moore Capito are promoting and celebrating the benefits of the broadband subsidies. This is despite the elimination of the Affordable Connectivity Program, which announced reduced support amounts for May as the program winds down.
Finally, laws taking effect, all but the smallest ISPs are now required to publish broadband “nutrition labels” on their plans, providing consumers with information on costs, fees, speeds, and more. The labels aim to make it easier for consumers to compare plans and avoid hidden fees. Major broadband providers have fought against this requirement, while some critics argue that it doesn’t address the issue of regional broadband monopolies. Verizon, Google Fiber, and T-Mobile have already released labels ahead of the deadline.
Tennessee moves to protect its industry. As a producer of music, they distinctly care about this risk.
The headline here is the possibility of a US federal-level privacy law. This is bipartisan, so that’s a positive. Congress has limited time to legislate, so we’ll see what happens here.
I’m going to observe that companies should have a policy about requirements for work hours and expectations for after-hours communications, particularly in the IT space. Does it need a law? Regardless, it’s a wise investment for savvy owners looking for higher employee retention.