Cate Blanchett Launches Human Consent Registry to Protect Identity From AI Systems

Cate Blanchett Unveils Free Tool at European Parliament

Academy Award winner Cate Blanchett brought Hollywood influence to Brussels on Tuesday, launching the Human Consent Registry at the European Parliament in an event that signals a major push to protect identity from AI 3

3

.

The free online tool, developed by RSL Media—a nonprofit co-founded by Blanchett alongside Nikki Hexum, Doug Leeds, and Eckart Walther—allows individuals to control how AI systems use their name, image, voice, AI likeness, movement, and other personal attributes 1

1

. Director Steven Soderbergh joined Blanchett at the parliament's library, where Bulgarian MEP Eva Maydell hosted the launch event 4

4

.

How the Registry Establishes Control Over Personal Attributes

The Human Consent Registry operates on a straightforward principle: identity functions as intellectual property rights in the age of artificial intelligence 2

2

. Users create an account and provide biographical information including name, profession, website, or social media accounts. They then select from three AI usage consent levels organized like a traffic light system: Prohibited (red), Permitted with Terms (yellow), or Permitted (green) . Upon completion, each person receives a Human Consent ID that AI systems can check before including any part of a person's likeness in training data. The tool is available to individuals in the United States and European Union, as well as third parties like agents and managers 4

4

.

Building on Really Simple Licensing Standards

RSL Media designed the registry to complement the Really Simple Licensing (RSL) standard, an open protocol that has gained traction among digital publishers for establishing AI usage rights and licensing terms for content 1

1

. The organization plans to expand beyond this initial tool with similar registries covering "Work," "Characters," and "Marks," creating a comprehensive infrastructure for managing unauthorized use by AI 1

1

. Soderbergh emphasized that the initiative functions as "a persuasive mechanism to do the right thing in a simple, elegant way," clarifying it is not a law or restriction 2

2

. RSL Media hopes AI companies will voluntarily consult the registry, though no formal enforcement mechanism currently exists 3

3

.

Hollywood Backing and the EU AI Act Context

The launch received substantial support from entertainment industry figures including Javier Bardem, Meryl Streep, Emma Thompson, Helen Mirren, Kristen Stewart, George Clooney, Viola Davis, and Tom Hanks 2

2

. Bardem has publicly voiced rejection of AI technology due to what he describes as its vast ability to manipulate reality 2

2

. The European Parliament venue proved strategic, as the EU AI Act adopted in 2024 established the world's first comprehensive AI regulation framework 2

2

. Eva Maydell, who served as a key EU negotiator of the landmark legislation, described the registry as "a tool that makes rights transparent, scales trust, and keeps human creativity at the centre of technological progress" 4

4

.

Addressing Broader Concerns About Data Scraping and Ethical AI

Blanchett's initiative extends her ongoing advocacy work. In March 2025, she joined Paul McCartney, Ben Stiller, and over 400 celebrities who sent an open letter to Donald Trump urging his administration not to roll back copyright protections 4

4

. That letter challenged arguments from tech giants like OpenAI and Google that copyright law should permit data scraping of copyrighted works without permission or compensation. Earlier, Blanchett was among over 800 creatives including Scarlett Johansson and Guillermo Del Toro who published an open letter in January accusing AI giants of "theft" 3

3

. The issue has prompted drastic action from some artists, with Matthew McConaughey trademarking his image, voice, and iconic catchphrase, while singer SZA recently slammed musicians after discovering over 200 of her songs were used to train AI systems 4

4

.

What This Means for AI Regulation and Creator Rights

Blanchett stated that "human consent is not an impediment to progress" and emphasized the issue affects anyone who has been photographed or "simply lived some part of their life online," not just public figures 3

3

. The registry represents an attempt to establish consent mechanisms that can evolve at the same pace as technology itself, providing safeguards that protect human rights without holding back technological progress 2

2

. Some technology industry representatives at the European Parliament event voiced concerns that such projects could undermine Europe's tech sector relative to competing countries 2

2

. The voluntary nature of the system means its effectiveness depends on whether major AI companies choose to participate, making the coming months critical for observing industry response and whether additional regulatory measures become necessary to enforce consent standards.