134 | 🤑 ™️ How to make $ via deepfakes

In today’s Brainyacts:

1. Plausible business ideas with deepfakes

2. Generative AI is doomed

3. AI images via Google Search and more AI model news

4. LA law firm might have used ChatGPT and other related news

5. a Super Lawyer prompt (please make it stop)

👋 to new subscribers!

To read previous editions, click here.

Lead Memo

🎬 🎥 2 Ripe Opportunities for New Careerpaths: Lead in the World of Digital Rights and Deepfakes

Inspired by my ongoing learning about deepfakes and their consequences, this video from the My First Million podcast, and this article, I am sharing two career ideas for anyone who wants to jump into this explosive new reality of digital celebrity likeness (or digital celebrity agents).

The Collision of Technology and Rights

Contrary to popular perception, the crux of the issue surrounding deepfake technology isn't so much a tech problem (the horse has left the barn on that one), but a rights problem.

As realistic digital likenesses become easier to create, the potential for misuse multiplies. Without proper legal structures to guide usage, deepfake technology becomes a ticking time bomb. Hence, the an urgent need for a legal scaffolding that focuses on rights and their management. But that is obvious.

But what if deepfakes weren’t such a bad thing? Can they be a good thing? There are a couple of business models ready to be taken on. Stay with me here.

The Rise of the Digital Rights Agent

Traditionally, a talent agent's primary focus was securing the best roles, endorsements, and public appearances for their client and their likeness (photo, name, etc.). Fast forward to our digital AI age, and a new business model is ripening: the AI Avatar Agent.

This professional specializes in helping a celebrity deploy sanctioned AI representatives of themselves. Instead of having to fly to London for a commercial, a completely realistic AI avatar can be sent (as an attachment to an email!!). No need for the celebrity to endure the interruption of travel, learning the script, shooting, etc. They can live their life.

It gets better. With AI avatars you can monetize different attributes. Want just Jennifer Aniston’s face? That is one price. Want Michael Jordan to reenact his famous dunk? That can be separately priced. How about Sean Connery’s voice (he is deceased)? If his estate wanted to, they could regenerate it. Heck, they could even regenerate his image. Now yes, that might be weird and unethical - but I am making a point that AI avatars are extensions of likeness - near replacements. And they can be managed.

• Acquiring Licenses: Creating legal frameworks around the usage of a client's digital likeness.

• Managing Partnerships: Collaboration with tech companies to monetize digital likenesses ethically.

• Portfolio Management: Overseeing a range of assets, from photos to voice samples, in a digitized form.

Okay, Let’s move on to a new practice niche.

Pioneering Practice Areas: Digital Identity & Brand Protection

As digital representation becomes integral to a celebrity’s brand, law firms can capitalize on creating specialized practice areas focusing on brand management and protection in the digital realm. The objectives here are:

• Monitoring Unauthorized Usage: A robust surveillance mechanism to prevent misuse.

• Identity Verification: Leveraging blockchain or AI tools to confirm the legitimacy of digital media.

• Rights enforcement: Both monitoring usage and verification occur today by some law firms. E-commerce is an area where this is happening right now. Pirated goods and unauthorized sellers are a huge problem. There are law firms that have tech solutions to monitor a company’s products - tracking and tracing each seller and image to detect improper usage. When they find it, they then take action - legal action.

With the rise of digital celebrity avatars, this type of legal service will be in high demand. Plus if you build it well, you have a potential exit as the current talent groups who represent the human celebrities would be likely buyers.

🤑 🤪 Let’s get crazy for a second! But this is plausible.

AI as the talent client!

Let’s combine #1 and #2 but with a twist. We already have AI-generated podcasts, faceless YouTube channels run by AI, and so on. How long before we have real fully AI-generated celebrities not based on any real human? Well, as the article I linked to at the top of this essay talks bout - this is already happening. And they will need talent representation and monitoring for misuse.

Regulatory Labyrinths and Policy Quandaries

This new technological landscape is ripe with unresolved questions around ethics, consent, and enforceability. These ambiguities offer a fertile ground for legal research and policymaking, providing law firms with an opportunity to pave the way in this uncharted territory. These also create business opportunities. It is a new frontier!

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Spotlight

📣 🥳 Lest you think I am a pure AI fanboy, here is a good thread on why Generative AI may be doomed.

It’s worth a read.

AI Model Notables

► Generate AI images directly from Google Search

► Google promises to take the legal heat in users’ AI copyright lawsuits

► OpenAI's financial ascent: From $28 million to $1.3 billion in yearly revenue

► Microsoft’s new AI Copilot arrives in OneNote in November

► Box launches AI-focused Hubs for curated search – micro-knowledge management

► How Dropbox is tackling AI

► Adobe debuts ‘nutrition label’ icon for AI-generated imagery

News You Can Use:

➭ This prolific LA eviction law firm was caught faking cases in court.

➭ NuEnergy.ai secures a patent on its framework for responsible AI governance - "We want to measure the trustworthiness of an AI algorithm…in a transparent and auditable way."

➭ A.I. could soon need as much electricity as an entire country

➭ US Energy Dept. funded JetCool nets $17M to disrupt chip cooling as AI workloads surge

➭ Air Street Capital has released its 6th annual State of AI report -the 160+ page report covers trends in research, industry adoption, politics, and safety of AI

➭ The EU is considering two directives to supplement the AI Act and create a unified approach to regulating how people can get redress from companies for perceived harm by AI.

• The AI Product Liability Directive would make it easier to bring claims against AI and software companies for digital harms.

• The AI Liability Directive aims to make it easier to bring claims of harm against AI systems and use of AI, enabling courts to compel AI providers for evidence.

➭ Deepfake audio is polluting social media convincing people of wrong information

Who is the author, Josh Kubicki?

Some of you know me. Others do not. Here is a short intro. I am a lawyer, entrepreneur, and teacher. I have transformed legal practices and built multi-million dollar businesses. Not a theorist, I am an applied researcher and former Chief Strategy Officer, recognized by Fast Company and Bloomberg Law for my unique work. Through this newsletter, I offer you pragmatic insights into leveraging AI to inform and improve your daily life in legal services.