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Big Law

George Carlin’s Estate Files a Copyright Infringement Lawsuit Against the Creators of AI-Generated Comedy Special

George Carlin’s estate has filed a copyright infringement lawsuit against Dudesy, the media company that used generative artificial intelligence to produce a fake hour-long comedy special that imitates the deceased star’s voice and comedic style. The complaint filed in Los Angeles federal court on Thursday alleges that Carlin’s copyrighted materials and likeness were used without permission or appropriate licenses, calling the special a “piece of computer-generated click-bait which detracts from the value of Carlin’s comedic works and harms his reputation.”

The AI-generated special, titled George Carlin: I’m Glad I’m Dead, was released on the Dudesy podcast’s YouTube channel on January 9th, where it remains live and has since racked up almost 500,000 views. Dudesy podcast hosts Will Sasso and Chad Kultgen, who are also named in the complaint, responded to criticism surrounding the special several days after its release, referring to AI as “the next paintbrush” and saying that it’s a “new tool that’s going to be utilized in every facet of life.”

Under the lawsuit, Carlin’s estate is seeking the immediate removal and destruction of all copies of the faked special, alongside an unspecified figure for damages. “The Dudesy Special is a bastardization of Carlin’s real work and his legacy,” the complaint alleges. “George Carlin, if he were alive today, may well have commented upon the topics discussed in the Dudesy Special, but he would have had control over what those comments were.”

Read the source article at The Verge

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