The estate of legendary comedian George Carlin has settled their lawsuit against the podcast “Dudesy,” which released an AI-generated comedy special titled “George Carlin: I’m Glad I’m Dead.” The special featured Carlin-like takes on modern issues and used his image without the permission of the comedian’s estate. Even if the hosts of the “Dudesy” podcast, Will Sasso and Chad Kultgen, had requested permission, it is highly unlikely the estate would have agreed; Carlin’s daughter Kelly, the head of his estate, has been very outspoken against the use of AI to recreate celebrities who have since died.

Following the settlement between the two parties earlier in the week, Kelly Carlin released a statement expressing gratitude for the quick compliance of Sasso and Kultgen in removing the special and any mention of the famous comedian from all of their social media accounts, but continued to harp on the issue of AI material: “While it is a shame that this happened at all, I hope this case serves as a warning about the dangers posed by AI technologies and the need for appropriate safeguards not just for artists and creatives, but every human on earth,” Kelly Carlin said. “The ‘George Carlin’ in that video is not the beautiful human who defined his generation and raised me with love.”

In light of the lawsuit, SAG-AFTRA (The Screen Actors Guild- American Federation of Television and Radio Artists) has been pushing for federal legislation that would make creating an artificial replica of a person without their consent illegal. 

In a time where more singers are giving their music to programs intending to create live concerts using AI-generated holograms, the question of how to preserve a performer’s legacy genuinely and respectfully comes to light. Holograms of singers Buddy Holly and Roy Orbison have been touring the U.S. and Europe for years, using all aspects of the singers’ likeness and music.

While this allows for their music to reach new generations in a unique and exciting way, some may find the appropriation of the passed-on rock’n’rollers demeaning to who they were in life, believing that AI cannot replace the imagination, creativity, talent or genius that human beings possess.

Joshua Schiller, the attorney of the George Carlin estate, said in a statement that the goal of the lawsuit was enacted out of preservation of the comedian’s legacy and to resolve “similar disputes going forward where an artist or public figure has their rights infringed by AI technology. This is not a problem that will go away by itself. It must be confronted with swift, forceful action in the courts, and the AI software companies whose technology is being weaponized must also bear some measure of accountability.”

In the time since the “Dudesy” podcast scrubbed the special from their media, Schiller has been actively searching for any other platforms where the video may have been posted by other accounts, according to Variety. However, because there is no federal right to publicity, any platform Schiller finds will not be legally required to remove the AI-generated act from their pages.

Many of the late comedian’s fans ripped the hour-long special. In a seethingly long thread posted to a George Carlin subreddit, one user said, “The AI didn’t study Carlin enough to know that he would have eviscerated the concept of AI art in a tight five,” pointing out how the comedian remains known for his dark humor and ‘hot takes’ on contemporary topics such as pop culture, politics, religion and language with his quick wit and genuine observations.

The outpouring of support from fans has made the impact of Carlin’s legacy and his influence in comedy known today, 16 years after his death.  

Image from George Carlin Official YouTube Channel via YouTube