Estate of George Carlin settles with podcast over AI-generated special

The estate of the late comedian George Carlin has settled a lawsuit with the “Dudesy” podcast, which had purportedly used an AI-generated version of Carlin to comment on current events in an audio special earlier this year. The alleged artificially generated comedy special imitating the late comedian was titled ‘I’m Glad I’m Dead.’

Filed in January, the lawsuit accused the podcast of infringing on the copyrights and publicity rights associated with Carlin’s name, image, and likeness. Carlin, who passed away in 2008, remains a significant figure in comedy.

Following the lawsuit, the podcast’s creators removed the special from their YouTube channel and, as part of the settlement, agreed not to re-upload the video or use Carlin’s image on any platform.

“I am pleased that this matter was resolved quickly and amicably, and I am grateful that the defendants acted responsibly by swiftly removing the video they made,” said Carlin’s daughter Kelly Carlin.

Carlin’s daughter emphasized its importance as a cautionary tale regarding the use of AI and the necessity for proper safeguards.