Australian actor Cate Blanchett and EU Member of Parliament Eva Maydell launched the free Human Consent Registry at the European Parliament in Brussels [1, 2].
The tool arrives as generative artificial intelligence continues to harvest personal images and voices for training data without the knowledge or permission of the subjects. By providing a centralized registry, the initiative seeks to shift the burden of consent from the individual to the AI developers.
The registry allows people to establish specific rules regarding how their likeness may be utilized by AI systems [1, 3]. This mechanism is designed to prevent the unauthorized use of a person's image or voice in synthetic media, a growing concern for performers and private citizens alike.
Blanchett presented the tool at the European Parliament earlier this week in June 2024 [1, 2]. The project emphasizes the necessity of digital identity control to ensure that human beings maintain ownership over their own physical and vocal characteristics in an era of rapid automation.
EU lawmaker Eva Maydell supported the launch, and said there is a legislative need for protections against the non-consensual use of likenesses [1, 2]. The registry serves as a practical application of the desire for stricter AI governance within the European Union.
The tool is free for all users, aiming to democratize the ability to opt out of AI training sets [1, 3]. While many high-profile celebrities have the legal resources to fight deepfakes, the registry provides a similar layer of protection for the general public.
“The tool lets individuals set rules for how their likeness can be used by artificial‑intelligence systems.”
The launch of the Human Consent Registry represents a shift toward 'opt-in' digital ethics, where the default state of a person's likeness is protected rather than available for harvest. By partnering with an EU lawmaker, Blanchett is aligning a celebrity-led campaign with the European Union's broader goal of establishing the world's most stringent AI regulatory framework, potentially creating a blueprint for how digital personality rights are managed globally.
