Top Chinese Court Issues Sweeping Legal Crackdown on AI Deepfakes

Months ago, China's Intermediate People's Court ruled against a company using AI to terminate an employee's position. Now, the nation's highest judicial organ, the Supreme People's Court, has issued a sweeping crackdown on AI deepfakes. The ruling, published on Monday, provides guidance for lower courts to handle civil issues arising from AI tool abuse.

The 24-article opinion covers disputes involving AI-generated video and audio, sexualized content, financial misconduct, digital privacy, and surveillance pricing. A critical focus is placed on deepfakes, which are realistic images, videos, and audio manipulated to resemble real people. These can be used to resurrect the deceased.

The court's deputy head, Si Yanli, expressed concern that AI face-swapping technology can indiscriminately use anyone's likeness, turning ordinary individuals into potential targets of deepfakes. Similarly, AI voice cloning technology can "steal" voices at a low cost, producing highly realistic results. Lower courts are now advised to prioritize protecting individual identities, personal traits, and reputations when dealing with AI deepfakes.

The ruling also addresses doxing, a form of cyberbullying that violates victims' privacy and undermines public security. While China uses a civil law system, unlike the US, lower Chinese courts are not bound by precedent set by other court rulings. However, the Supreme People's Court's guidance holds significant legal weight, with lower courts required to refer to these opinions in their own decisions, making this a substantial rebuff against potential AI abuses.