The Tennessee ELVIS Act was the first US law aimed at AI voice cloning. It rewrote Tennessee’s right of publicity statute to add a person’s voice, including simulations of it, to the protected rights in name, photograph, and likeness.
Who the Tennessee ELVIS Act Applies To
Liability extends beyond people who publish unauthorized AI fakes to those who distribute tools whose primary purpose is producing unauthorized voice or likeness replicas. Violations carry civil liability and a Class A misdemeanor.
Why It Matters for Marketing and Content
Built with the Nashville music industry, the law matters to anyone using AI generated voices or celebrity style likenesses in content or advertising. If a campaign uses a synthetic voice that sounds like a real person, Tennessee treats that voice as protected property.
Source: Tennessee General Assembly: HB 2091
Report a violation: If you believe a business is violating this law, you can file a complaint with the Tennessee Attorney General Division of Consumer Affairs.
