"Digital Doubles” Raise Legal and Ethical Questions in Entertainment’s AI Future

Attorney Bridgett Brumbaugh highlights the growing need for legal guardrails as generative AI reshapes Hollywood

​LOS ANGELES, CA – As Hollywood confronts a surge in AI-generated replicas of real ​ known as “digital doubles” privacy and entertainment attorney Bridgett Brumbaugh is calling for stronger legal frameworks to protect artists while preserving creative innovation.

The proposed No FAKES Act and SAG-AFTRA’s new contract provisions are steps in the right direction, she says, but the industry still faces unclear terrain.

​​“We’re entering a moment where a voice, a face, or even a likeness can be recreated by anyone with the right tools,” says Brumbaugh, who holds an LL.M. from USC in privacy and cybersecurity law with a focus in AI & Law. “Studios and platforms must act now to build ethical and contractual guardrails before these replicas become the norm.”

​​With over 18 years of experience in IP protection, content moderation, and product counseling, Brumbaugh encourages entertainment companies to:

​​Create AI-specific licensing terms for talent

​​Vet third-party AI tools for compliance and misuse

​​Address right of publicity issues proactively

​​“Digital doubles are not science fiction anymore,” she adds. “They’re already here and the legal stakes are real.