The media company being sued by the estate of George Carlin is accused of producing an hourlong comedy special using artificial intelligence to mimic the late comedian’s style and content. The lawsuit, filed in federal court in Los Angeles on Jan. 25, demands that Dudesy, the podcast outlet, remove the audio special titled “George Carlin: I’m Glad I’m Dead,” where an AI-generated version of Carlin provides commentary on current events. Despite the video being taken down after the lawsuit, the Carlin estate’s representative, Joshua Schiller, expressed that the damage persists due to the widespread circulation of the content online, necessitating further steps to address the issue permanently.
Kelly Carlin, George Carlin’s daughter, criticized the work as a subpar imitation created to exploit her father’s legacy. The lawsuit, brought by the Carlin estate and executor Jerold Hamza, alleges violations of Carlin’s right of publicity and copyright. The defendants, including Dudesy and podcast hosts Will Sasso and Chad Kultgen, are accused of using Carlin’s likeness and copyrighted materials without authorization for the AI-generated special.
The lawsuit highlights the unauthorized use of Carlin’s intellectual property and questions the authenticity of the AI’s creation process, emphasizing potential copyright infringement. The defendants are yet to respond to the allegations, and their legal representation remains unclear. The creators have defended the project as a fictional character developed by humans, denying any wrongdoing.
This legal action signifies a growing trend in challenging the misuse of celebrities’ images and personas through AI technology. Schiller emphasized that the issue extends beyond AI, focusing on the accountability of individuals utilizing AI to violate laws and intellectual property rights.
