FKA twigs is stepping into the spotlight, but not for her usual musical performance. Today, she’s heading to Capitol Hill, armed with a written testimony for a U.S. Senate subcommittee. It’s not every day you hear about an artist developing their own deepfake, but twigs is doing just that. According to Rolling Stone, she’s diving deep into the world of artificial intelligence, advocating for its use as both a creative and commercial tool. The catch? Artists must give their consent and keep control over their images.
In her testimony, twigs gets personal. She talks about her art as the “canvas” of her identity, the core of her existence. But there’s a shadow looming over her. The threat of AI, capable of mimicking her art and, more alarmingly, her identity, is real. It’s a chilling prospect, one that could “rewrite and unravel” the essence of who she is. Twigs is calling for urgent regulation to protect artists’ authenticity and rights.
She’s been working on her own deepfake for a year, a project that’s as intriguing as it is innovative. This AI, trained in her personality, can even mimic her voice in multiple languages. Twigs plans to use it to manage her social media, allowing her to focus on her art from the sanctuary of her studio. It’s a bold move, blending technology and creativity in a way that’s uniquely twigs.
But there’s a bigger picture here. Twigs points out the jeopardy facing artists’ careers and livelihoods. The wider implications for society’s image-related rights are also at stake. She emphasizes the importance of our identities, shaped by experiences, hard work, and, yes, financial sacrifices. The thought of AI violating this, creating digital copies that claim to be us, is deeply troubling. It’s a call to action for the industry and legislators to protect our creative and intellectual rights.
The Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Intellectual Property is currently discussing the NO FAKES Act. This bipartisan bill aims to hold deepfake creators accountable, offering a glimmer of hope in the fight to protect artists from the unauthorized use of their work and identity. It’s a critical moment for the future of creativity and authenticity in the digital age.
