CMG Worldwide Teams With Loti AI to Protect IP for Estates of Burt Reynolds, Jimmy Stewart, Judy Garland and More (EXCLUSIVE)

Amid the mounting concerns over OpenAI’s Sora 2 in the entertainment industry, the estates of Judy Garland, Jimmy Stewart, Burt Reynolds and more late celebrities are being safeguarded in a new likeness and AI protection deal between deepfake detection firm Loti AI and IP management firm CMG Worldwide.

Under the pact, Loti AI’s advanced technology and services will serve to protect CMG’s portfolio of personalities and estates from unauthorized digital use and manipulation, including: Burt Reynolds, Christopher Reeve, Ginger Rogers, Harry Belafonte, Jimmy Stewart, John Wayne, Judy Garland, Mickey Rooney, Raquel Welch, Andre the Giant, Joe Louis, Macho Man Randy Savage, Rocky Marciano, Sugar Ray Robinson, David Ruffin, Albert Einstein, Gen. George Patton, Mark Twain, Neil Armstong and Rosa Parks.

Through the deal with Loti, CMG says it will gain “continuous monitoring, detection, and takedown capabilities to prevent unauthorized reproductions and impersonations of its clients’ images and voices across digital platforms.” Loti says it “ensures that the world’s most recognized figures are represented with accuracy, consent and respect.”

The deal is a proactive move in the digital rights protection conversation as AI tools like Sora 2, which allows users to create clips using copyrighted IP, make it increasingly easy to develop digital replicas of people who can no longer consent to the use of their likeness.

“Each of the personalities we represent has left a lasting mark on culture. Unauthorized digital reproductions not only risk their reputations but also distort history itself,” CMS Worldwide’s Joey Roesler said. “Loti gives us the ability to protect their likenesses and preserve the integrity of the stories and legacies they created.”

“The growing need for technology underscores a new phase in legacy and rights management, as historic estates and modern talent turn to continuous digital protection to defend authenticity, reputation and value in an era of near-limitless content manipulation,” Loti AI CEO Luke Arrigoni said. “We’re proud to work with CMG to protect the likeness and legacy of some of the most well-known and culturally important names across time.”

Arrigoni added: “This partnership reflects Loti’s commitment to empowering individuals to choose what they share or keep private. As synthetic media becomes more pervasive, these protections are fundamental to preserving trust in the digital world. Families and estates must have the capability to enforce their decisions on how posthumous likeness is used. Protecting the legacy of these icons brings us closer to a future with zero unauthorized content and zero violations of consent across the internet.”