Calif. Governor Signs AI Bills on Elections and Entertainment

Aiming at curbing deepfakes in elections and entertainment, California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) signed multiple AI bills this week. On elections, the governor supported requiring large websites to remove or label AI-generated deepfakes (AB-2655); expanding a prohibition on knowingly distributing election ads with deceptive AI-based content (AB-2839); and requiring disclosures in electoral ads with AI-generated or -altered content (AB-2355), said a Newsom news release Tuesday. In an earlier announcement that day, the governor’s office said Newsom signed bills requiring actors' and performers’ consent to use their digital likeness (AB-1836 and AB-2602). Newsom has yet to sign a more controversial AI bill (SB-1047) that would require large AI developers and those providing computing power to train AI models to implement protections for preventing critical harms (see 2409060039). The governor has until Sept. 30 to sign or veto bills that the legislature passed this year.