California lawmakers pass bills banning deepfakes, regulating AI

California lawmakers this week approved a series of proposals aimed at regulating the artificial intelligence industry, combating deepfakes and protecting workers from exploitation by the rapidly evolving technology.

California’s Democratic-controlled Legislature is voting on hundreds of bills in the final week of the session to send them to Gov. Gavin Newsom’s desk, with a deadline of Saturday.

The Democratic governor has until Sept. 30 to sign the bills, veto them or let them become law without his signature. Newsom indicated in July that he would sign a bill to crack down on election deepfakes, but has not yet commented on other legislation.

He warned earlier this summer that overregulation could hurt the domestic industry, and in recent years he has often cited the state’s budget problems in rejecting legislation he would otherwise support.

Below are some of the AI ​​laws that lawmakers passed this year.

Combating deepfakes

California lawmakers this week passed several bills to crack down on the practice, citing concerns about how AI tools are increasingly being used to mislead voters and generate fake pornography of minors.

Lawmakers have approved legislation to ban election-related deepfakes and require major social media platforms to remove misleading material 120 days before Election Day and 60 days afterward. Campaigns would also have to publicly disclose whether they run ads with AI-altered material.

A pair of proposals would make it illegal to use AI tools to create images and videos of child sexual abuse. Current law does not allow district attorneys to prosecute people who possess or distribute AI-generated images of child sexual abuse if they cannot prove the materials depict a real person.

Another proposal would require tech companies and social media platforms to provide users with AI detection tools.

Installing safety railings

California could become the first US state to implement sweeping safety measures for large AI models.

The legislation sent to the governor’s desk by lawmakers would require developers to begin disclosing what data they use to train their models. The effort is aimed at shedding more light on how AI models work and preventing future catastrophic disasters.

Another measure would require the state to establish safety protocols to prevent risks and algorithmic discrimination before agencies can enter into a contract using AI models to inform decisions.

Protecting employees

Inspired by last year’s months-long Hollywood actors’ strike, lawmakers passed a proposal to protect workers, including voice actors and audiobook artists, from being replaced by their AI-generated clones. The measure mirrors language in the contract SAG-AFTRA signed with studios last December.

Under one proposal, state and local government agencies would no longer be allowed to use AI to replace call center workers.

California could also impose penalties for digitally cloning deceased persons without the consent of their next of kin.

Keeping up with technology

As companies increasingly integrate AI into Americans’ daily lives, state lawmakers have also passed several bills to increase AI literacy.

One proposal would require a state task force to consider incorporating AI skills into math, science, history and social studies curricula. Another proposal would develop guidelines for how schools can use AI in the classroom.