California legislators pass bill to ban deepfakes, safeguard workers, and oversee AI

California lawmakers have passed a series of bills focusing on regulating the artificial intelligence industry, combating deepfakes, and safeguarding workers from potential exploitation by advancing technology. The state legislature, controlled by Democrats, is in the final week of the session, voting on numerous bills to send to Gov. Gavin Newsom for approval by Saturday.
Gov. Newsom has until Sept. 30 to review and sign off on the proposals, expressing support in July for one targeting election-related deepfakes. However, he has yet to comment on other pending legislation amid concerns about potentially stunting the state’s technological growth through overregulation.
Legislation targeting deepfakes received approval, aiming to limit deceptive AI-altered material in the context of elections and the creation of child sexual abuse images. Additionally, social media platforms would be mandated to remove misleading content before and after Election Day, while campaigns must disclose the use of AI-altered material in advertisements.
To enhance safety in AI development, California may pioneer comprehensive safety regulations for large AI models. Developers would be required to disclose the data used to train their models to promote transparency and prevent catastrophic occurrences. Another proposal emphasizes implementing safety measures to avert risks and algorithmic bias in AI-based decision-making processes.
Lawmakers have also passed a bill safeguarding workers, such as voice actors and audiobook narrators, from being replaced by AI-generated entities. The measure prohibits state and local agencies from using AI to replace call center employees and proposes penalties for digitally recreating deceased individuals without proper authorization.
Recognizing the increasing integration of AI in society, California aims to enhance AI literacy with bills that propose incorporating AI skills into school curriculums. The plans include establishing guidelines for schools on AI usage in classrooms and developing a working group to explore the introduction of AI skills across various subjects like math, science, and history.