California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) on Thursday signed three more artificial intelligence bills into law, further cementing his state as an early adopter of guardrails on the emerging technology.
Two of the measures target sexually explicit deepfakes while. The third would create a nation-leading requirement that AI-created content come with a digital watermark.
“We’re in an era where digital tools like AI have immense capabilities, but they can also be abused against other people,” Newsom said in a statement. “We’re stepping up to protect Californians.”
There have been high-profile instances of celebrities and school-age girls becoming the victims of pornographic deepfakes, made easier by the rapid proliferation of generative AI tools.
The deepfake laws, introduced by Sen. Aisha Wahab (D), criminalize the creation and distribution of unauthorized pornographic images or video using AI and require social media companies to make it easy for someone to report “sexually explicit digital identity theft” on the platform. The bill criminalizing pornographic deepfakes would apply to adults.
“Victims of digital sexual assault are forever traumatized by their perpetrators through damaged reputations that lead to a lack of workplace promotions, mental health deterioration, shame, and isolation,” Wahab said in a statement.
California is among more than two dozen states that have adopted non-consensual intimate deepfake laws, according to tracking by Public Citizen.
The third law, from Sen. Josh Becker (D), will require that beginning in 2026 generative AI models with more than 1 million monthly users place an invisible watermark on synthetic content. Additionally, larger AI models will have to offer users the option to place a visible label on any content they’ve created using the AI tool.
The law also requires that large AI models provide users with an easily accessible AI detection tool that can identify content with a watermark.
“Going forward, it’s crucial that individuals know whether or not content was created by AI,” Becker said in a statement. “By signing this bill, Governor Newsom is providing Californians with essential tools to navigate the evolving digital landscape.”
Newsom this week approved three other AI-related bills aimed at cracking down on election-related deepfakes and two to protect performers and deceased artists from having their voice or likeness replicated by AI without authorization.
Read more: California cracks down on election deepfakes
California is home to 35 of the world’s 50 largest AI companies and a leader in tech policy. Newsom has cautioned against passing regulations that could stifle innovation.
The governor has yet to announce whether he will sign or veto a closely watched bill from Sen. Scott Wiener (D) to regulate the most powerful AI systems of the future with the goal of preventing critical harms. Newsom has until the end of the month to sign or veto bills.