California lawmakers have approved several bills aimed at regulating the AI industry, combating deepfakes, and protecting workers.

The measures include banning deepfakes related to elections, requiring social media platforms to remove deceptive content before and after Election Day, and mandating campaign disclosures of AI-altered ads.

Other proposals criminalize the use of AI to create child sexual abuse images and require tech companies to provide AI detection tools to users, the Associated Press has reported.

These bills are awaiting Governor Gavin Newsom’s decision by September 30, with Newsom previously indicating support for deepfake legislation but expressing concerns about overregulation.

Written by B.C. Begley