A new law called the ELVIS Act has been enacted in Tennessee to protect artists from AI-powered voice mimicry. It expands the state's existing protections against the unauthorized use of a person's likeness, including their voice. The music industry has widely praised the law, but legal experts have expressed concerns that it may be an overreaction with unintended consequences. Some worry that the broad language of the law could potentially encompass innocent behavior, such as tribute bands or even sharing an unauthorized photo of a celebrity. The ELVIS Act has exemptions for free speech and allows for audiovisual works that represent individuals as themselves.

However, these exemptions may only apply if deemed protected by the First Amendment, which would require court rulings and potentially lead to lawsuits. The ELVIS Act is the first of its kind but serves as a precedent for future legislation addressing AI mimicry. Several other states and lawmakers at the federal level are considering similar laws. Some legal experts argue that existing laws already offer avenues to combat voice cloning and deepfakes, suggesting that any new legislation should be more specifically tailored to the problems they aim to solve.