California Passes Two AI Bills That Fight Against Cloning, Deepfakes; Supported by SAG-AFTRA

California Governor Gavin Newsom announced that he passed the two latest AI bills that arrived at his office, focusing on fighting against AI digital cloning and deepfakes. Through this campaign, California is looking to protect actors, artists, and performers from having their likeness digitally replicated by online users.

These two bills are known for being supported by SAG-AFTRA, offering ironclad legislation against AI deepfakes.

California Passes Two AI Bills That Fight Against Cloning, Deepfakes

Gov. Gavin Newsom shared on his latest Instagram post that he has passed two AI bills to help fight against illegal replication of artists, performers, and more. According to the California governor, these are AB 2602 and AB 1836, now laws in the country.

This followed its passing in the California legislature in August, according to The Verge, and this was said to be the further reinforcement of its AI regulations in the state.

According to Gov. Newsom, this will help protect a person's "name, image and likeness" from bad actors using AI.

Read Also: AB 1831: New California Bill Aims to Take Down AI-Generated Child Porn, Fix Previous Loophole

No to AI Digital Cloning for Artists, Supported by SAG-AFTRA

Both laws are known for being supported by the Screen Actors Guild - American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) since they were bills.

AB 2602 would prevent companies from using a digital clone of an artist or performer unless the person knows this,and they have legal representatives present.

On the other hand, AB 1836 focuses more on personalities who have passed away, with companies now required to obtain explicit permission from their family or estate before creating their "digital replicas," also including artworks.

There is still another AI bill in California that awaits Governor Newsom's approval, and it is the controversial SB 1047 that its State Assembly and Senate already passed. If the law gets passed by Gov. Newsom, it will require AI companies to observe precautions and safety measures on their machine learning training, applying to California-based corporations and startups.

Among those who criticized the bill are companies operating from California's Silicon Valley.

Bills, Laws Against AI Deepfakes, and Digital Cloning

California is among the US states who have gone forth with progressing on their bills and legislations against AI deepfakes and unauthorized digital cloning. These specific legislations are looking to protect artists and the public from having their image cloned digitally, especially with the potentially massive implications that it may bring.

Last year, a significant bipartisan bill was brought forth by US Senators against generative AI copying or replicating artists and their works without their consent. This is called the "No Fakes Act," which protects individuals from having their face, voice, and behavior copied, protecting the people throughout their lifetime and even 70 years after their passing.

Generative AI's evolution has caused massive problems as deepfaking and digital replications became more advanced, and have since been easily accessible to illegally copy people. However, the US is working on ways to prevent this, including individual states like California which recently passed two bills that would encompass loopholes in its AI laws.

Related Article: California SB 1047, a.k.A. The Controversial AI Safety Bill, Recently Passed in State's Assembly and Senate