Policy

The One Big Beautiful Bill Act would ban states from regulating AI

Buried in the Republican budget bill is a proposal that will radically change how artificial intelligence develops in the U.S., according to both its supporters and critics. The provision would ban states from regulating AI for the next decade. Opponents say the moratorium is so broadly written that states wouldn’t be able to enact protections for consumers affected by harmful applications of AI, like discriminatory employment tools, deepfakes, and addictive chatbots.

Source: The One Big Beautiful Bill Act would ban states from regulating AI

NYC Council Set to Vote on Living Wage for Musicians Act

The United Musicians and Allied Workers (UMAW) group is the driving force behind the campaign for the act. It has organized events and petitions urging the NYC council to pass this resolution, highlighting the urgent need for fair compensation in the streaming era. The act has also received support from other labor and music advocacy organizations, which reflects their broad concern over the economic precarity introduced with the advent of AI.

Source: NYC Council Set to Vote on Living Wage for Musicians Act

Deepfake Laws Bring Prosecution and Penalties, but Also Pushback

Already this year, 26 laws governing various kinds of deepfakes have been enacted, following 80 in 2024 and 15 in 2023, according to the political database Ballotpedia. This month in Tennessee, sharing deepfake sexual images without permission became a felony that carries up to 15 years of prison time and as much as $10,000 in fines.

Source: Deepfake Laws Bring Prosecution and Penalties, but Also Pushback

Nick Clegg says asking artists for use permission would ‘kill’ the AI industry

As policy makers in the UK weigh how to regulate the AI industry, Nick Clegg, former UK deputy prime minister and former Meta executive, claimed a push for artist consent would “basically kill” the AI industry. “I just don’t know how you go around, asking everyone first. I just don’t see how that would work,” Clegg said. “And by the way if you did it in Britain and no one else did it, you would basically kill the AI industry in this country overnight.”

Source: Nick Clegg says asking artists for use permission would ‘kill’ the AI industry

Elon Musk’s apparent power play at the Copyright Office completely backfired

What initially appeared to be a power play by Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to take over the US Copyright Office by having Donald Trump remove the officials in charge has now backfired in spectacular fashion, as Trump’s acting replacements are known to be unfriendly — and even downright hostile — to the tech industry.

Source: Elon Musk’s apparent power play at the Copyright Office completely backfired

EU Commission opens door for ‘targeted changes’ to AI Act

The European Commission is open to amending the EU’s Artificial Intelligence Act following an upcoming review, a top Commission official told POLITICO’s AI and Tech Summit Tuesday. Kilian Gross, head of the Commission’s AI policy unit, ruled out fundamental reform of the rules and said that simplifying the implementation is the Commission’s first focus. But “if this should not be enough, we will as well reflect whether we need targeted changes.”

Source: EU Commission opens door for ‘targeted changes’ to AI Act

Unions and MPA Urge Trump to Back Hollywood Tax Deductions

A coalition of entertainment unions, joined by the Motion Picture Association, urged President Trump on Monday to support tax deductions that benefit the entertainment industry. The unions organized a joint letter to Trump, which was also signed by two of Trump’s three “special ambassadors” to the industry, Jon Voight and Sylvester Stallone.

Source: Unions and MPA Urge Trump to Back Hollywood Tax Deductions

Publishers Prepare for Battle with Big Tech Over AI

Jonathan Barnett, professor at the University of Southern California’s Gould School of Law and author of The Big Steal: Ideology, Interest, and the Undoing of Intellectual Property, warned that publishers and other IP businesses need to learn from the lessons of the past—namely, the losses they suffered when Google successfully bet that it could scrape all content available on the internet for free in developing Google Books, a move that a court determined was protected by the fair use doctrine.

Source: Publishers Prepare for Battle with Big Tech Over AI

Copyright Office head fired after reporting AI training isn’t always fair use

A day after the US Copyright Office dropped a bombshell pre-publication report challenging artificial intelligence firms’ argument that all AI training should be considered fair use, the Trump administration fired the head of the Copyright Office, Shira Perlmutter—sparking speculation that the controversial report hastened her removal. Tensions have apparently only escalated since.

Source: Copyright Office head fired after reporting AI training isn’t always fair use

Could Trump’s Movie Tariff Add Momentum for Federal Filming Incentive?

President Trump’s initial proposal to impose a 100% tariff on foreign-produced films was met with bafflement and horror in Hollywood. But for lawmakers who represent film industry workers, it looked like an opportunity. “I would like to refocus the conversation around a national film tax credit,” said Rep. Laura Friedman, a Democrat from Burbank. “We know this works.”

Source: Could Trump’s Movie Tariff Add Momentum for Federal Filming Incentive?

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