Please consider supporting us by disabling your content blocker.
loader

California AI Legislation

Introduction

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

Legislative Overview

The California Legislature, controlled by Democrats, is currently voting on hundreds of bills during its final week of the session to send to Gov. Gavin Newsom’s desk. Their deadline is Saturday.

Governor Newsom has until September 30 to sign the proposals, veto them, or let them become law without his signature. He indicated in July that he would sign a proposal to crack down on election deepfakes but has not commented on other legislation.

Combatting Deepfakes

Lawmakers have expressed concerns over how AI tools are increasingly being used to trick voters and generate deepfake pornography of minors. As a result, several bills have been approved to address these issues.

One piece of legislation aims to ban deepfakes related to elections and requires large social media platforms to remove deceptive material 120 days before Election Day and 60 days thereafter. Campaigns would also need to disclose if they are running ads with materials altered by AI.

Additionally, proposals have been made to make it illegal to use AI tools to create images and videos of child sexual abuse, addressing a gap in current law.

Setting Safety Guardrails

California could become the first state to implement sweeping safety measures on large AI models. The legislation requires developers to disclose the data used to train their models, aiming to enhance transparency and prevent potential disasters.

Another measure mandates that safety protocols be established to prevent risks and algorithmic discrimination before any contracts involving AI models can be made.

Protecting Workers

Inspired by the Hollywood actors strike last year, lawmakers have approved a proposal to protect workers, including voice actors and audiobook performers, from being replaced by AI-generated clones.

State and local agencies would be prohibited from using AI to replace workers at call centers under one of the proposals. Furthermore, California may impose penalties for digitally cloning deceased individuals without consent.

Keeping Up with Technology

As AI becomes increasingly integrated into daily life, state lawmakers have also passed bills to enhance AI literacy. One proposal suggests incorporating AI skills into various educational curriculums, while another focuses on guidelines for using AI in classrooms.

Conclusion

With these legislative efforts, California is taking significant steps to regulate AI technology and ensure that it is used responsibly and ethically.

Source: Yahoo Finance