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Lainey Wilson said artificial intelligence can be a “gut punch.”
The reigning CMA Entertainer of the Year testified before congress during a House Judiciary Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property field hearing on Friday morning (February 2) in Los Angeles, California. The hearing, dubbed “Artificial Intelligence and Intellectual Property: Part II – Identity in the Age of AI,” aimed to examine how congressional leaders “can support responsible innovation in applications of artificial intelligence (AI) technology and address growing concerns about the misuse of AI technology, especially with respect to the likeness, voice, and other identifying characteristics of individuals,” read the hearing details. Wilson, 31, was one of the witnesses listed to provide testimony during the hearing.
“My art is uniquely and literally me. My name, my likeness, my voice. I do not have to tell you how much of a gut punch it is to have your name, your likeness or your voice ripped from you and used in ways that you could never imagine or would never allow. It is wrong, plain and simple,” Wilson said during the hearing. “There aren’t many things that we can control in life, but making decisions about the use of our own selves, our own unique qualities, that should be one. I am excited about a lot of ways that artificial intelligence can be used to help people, but I'm nervous about how it can be used to take personal rights.
“Our identities represent years of work to hone our craft and make a livelihood out of our passion,” Wilson continued. “Our voices and likenesses are indelible parts of us that have enabled us to showcase our talents and grow our audiences — not mere digital kibble for a machine to duplicate without consent. …We need artists to keep telling stories, and connecting with fans and bringing people together authentically. And we need to keep humanity in art — we cannot lose that.”
Wilson, who has said her likeness has been used in AI-generated content without her consent, maintains it is “unacceptable” for AI to generate content using an artist’s identity to express themselves in questionable ways. Last month, the Bell Bottom Country star also attended a press conference on the Ensuring Likeness Voice and Image Security (ELVIS) Act in Nashville, Tennessee. The bill aims to update state law to protect music industry professionals — including Wilson and other artists — from unauthorized AI-generated content.
Wilson’s testimony comes nearly one month after fellow Nashville-based artist Jelly Roll delivered a powerful testimony before the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee in Washington, D.C. The Whitsitt Chapel star, 39, spoke about the fentanyl crisis and shared firsthand experience, declaring that he “was part of the problem. I am here now standing as a man that wants to be part of the solution.”
The testimony on Friday morning comes two days before the 66th Annual Grammy Awards, where both artists are nominated, including in the Best Country Duo/Group Performance category for their collaboration, “Save Me.” The star-studded show — which includes performances by Billie Eilish, Billy Joel, Joni Mitchell, Luke Combs and others — will air live from Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, California. It’s set for from 8:00 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. ET/5:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. PT.