SAG-AFTRA tackles AI-generated explicit Taylor Swift images
SAG-AFTRA is speaking out against the explicit, AI-generated images of Taylor Swift that appeared on the Internet.
“The sexually explicit, AI-generated images of Taylor Swift are disturbing, harmful and deeply concerning,” the union said in a press release. rack on Friday, January 26. “The development and distribution of fake images – especially those of an indecent nature – without someone's consent should be made illegal. As a society we have it in our power to control these technologies, but we must act now before it is too late.”
SAG-AFTRA shared its support for the Preventing Deepfakes of Intimate Images Act, legislation authored by the New York Congressman Joe Morelle. The organization calls on “to stop this type of exploitation” and wants to prevent it from happening again.
“We stand with Taylor and women everywhere who are victims of this type of theft of their privacy and right to autonomy,” the statement concluded.
The fake images spread on Wednesday, January 24 on X. According to The edgethe first post was viewed 45 million times before it was deleted, which took the social media platform 17 hours.
X has not commented on this.
Swift has not publicly commented on the situation, but reports have surfaced that the Grammy winner is considering legal action.
SAG-AFTRA isn't the only group calling for action against AI. The White House also addressed the “alarming” incident.
“Of course, Congress must take legislative action,” the press secretary said Karine Jean-Pierre said at a news conference on Friday. “That's how you deal with some of these problems.”
Many technology companies have invested in cultivating AI for organizational purposes. Microsoft is currently offering its own artificial intelligence solution called CoPilot to compete with OpenAI's Chat GPT. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella spoke about Swift's “alarming and horrific” images and shared that immediate action must be taken to protect people.
“I think we all benefit from the online world being a safe world,” Nadella, 56, said in an interview with NBC News' Lester Holt on Friday. “And so I don't think anyone wants an online world that is completely unsafe for both content creators and content consumers. That's why I think it behooves us to take swift action on this.”
When SAG-AFTRA went on strike last year, AI was one of the union's top concerns. When the studios and the guild reached an agreement in November 2023, most of the AI restrictions that SAG-AFTRA fought for were included in the deal. One of their main requirements was that a studio must obtain permission from actors before using elements of their likeness.