Artificial intelligence technology.

Senator Ashby's artificial intelligence regulation measure establishes new requirements for AI technology providers and expands legal protections against unauthorized digital replicas of individuals. The legislation requires providers of AI systems capable of creating digital replicas to display prominent warnings about potential civil and criminal liability for unauthorized use, with violations subject to daily civil penalties of up to $25,000.

The bill modifies existing privacy protections by explicitly including digital replicas within the scope of protected personal attributes like voice and likeness. It removes the current presumption allowing incidental use of employee likenesses in advertisements without consent. Uses in news reporting, public affairs coverage, sports broadcasts, and political campaigns remain exempt from consent requirements.

To address evidentiary challenges, the measure directs the Judicial Council to evaluate how AI impacts evidence admissibility and develop court rules for assessing AI-generated or manipulated evidence by January 2027. The legislation also clarifies that using digital replicas to impersonate others constitutes false impersonation under California criminal statutes.