California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) on Thursday signed multiple artificial intelligence (AI) bills aimed at preventing the misuse of sexually explicit deepfakes.
Newsom’s signature on the three AI-related bills marks the Golden State’s latest efforts to place guardrails on the advancing technology amid concerns over the spread of deepfakes, which can generate images, audio, video and digitally alter likeness and voices.
The set of laws establishes new mandates for AI developers and social media companies to prevent irresponsible use of the technology.
“We’re in an era where digital tools like AI have immense capabilities, but they can also be abused against other people,” Newsom said in a statement. “We’re stepping up to protect Californians.”
One of the three laws — SB 926 — makes it illegal to create and circulate sexually explicit images of a real person that appear real and cause the person “serious emotional distress.”
SB 981 mandates social media platforms create ways for users to report sexually explicit deepfakes of themselves, to which the companies must temporarily block the content while an investigation takes place.