California Governor Gavin Newsom took a significant step on Tuesday by signing three bills aimed at curbing the use of artificial intelligence to create deceptive images or videos in political advertisements leading up to the 2024 election. The new legislation, effective immediately, prohibits the creation and dissemination of deepfakes related to elections within 120 days before Election Day and 60 days thereafter. Courts are empowered to halt the distribution of such materials and impose civil penalties.
In a statement, Governor Newsom emphasized the importance of safeguarding the integrity of elections and preventing AI from being exploited to spread disinformation, particularly in the current politically charged environment. The measures are designed to combat the harmful impact of deepfakes on political ads and other content, underscoring California's commitment to fostering transparent and trustworthy AI.
Under the new laws, major social media platforms will be required to remove deceptive content as part of a groundbreaking legislation set to be enacted next year. Additionally, political campaigns must disclose if they are running ads featuring AI-altered materials.
The bills were signed at an event hosted by Salesforce in San Francisco, solidifying California's reputation as a trailblazer in AI regulation in the United States, particularly in the fight against election-related deepfakes. The state previously banned manipulated videos and images linked to elections in 2019, with its legislative efforts often serving as a model for lawmakers nationwide.
Lawmakers across the country have been swift to address the growing threat of election disinformation amplified by AI, recognizing the potential erosion of public trust in the electoral process. Assemblymember Gail Pellerin, the architect of the law banning election deepfakes, stressed the urgency of protecting against digitally altered content that could influence voters.
Newsom's decision to enact these laws was prompted by a video shared by Elon Musk that featured altered images of Vice President Kamala Harris. The move coincided with federal legislators unveiling a bill to combat election deepfakes, granting the Federal Election Commission authority to regulate AI use in elections similar to its oversight of other forms of political misrepresentation.
California's proactive stance extends beyond election integrity, with Newsom highlighting the state's potential use of generative AI tools to address traffic congestion and offer tax guidance. The governor also signed bills to shield Hollywood performers from unauthorized AI manipulation.
