Gov. Gavin Newsom on Tuesday signed two bills that would give actors more protections over their digital likenesses, addressing concerns raised during last year's Hollywood strike led by the SAG-AFTRA performers union.
One of the bills, AB1836, prohibits and criminalizes the creation and distribution of digital replicas of deceased persons without the permission of their heirs. The other legislation, AB2602, makes a contract entered into after January 1, 2025, unenforceable if a digital replica of an actor was used when the person could have performed the work in person, if the contract did not include a reasonably specific description of how the digital replica would be used, and if the actor was not represented by his or her attorney or union when the agreement was signed.
“No one should live in fear of becoming someone else’s unpaid digital puppet,” said Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, SAG-AFTRA’s national executive director and chief negotiator in a statement. “Governor Newsom has led the way in protecting individuals and families from AI replication without their actual consent.”
Newsom signed the bills at SAG-AFTRA headquarters in Los Angeles on Tuesday.
“We are ensuring that no one is handing over their name, image and likeness to unscrupulous individuals without union representation or advocacy,” Newsom said in a video posted to SAG-AFTRA’s Instagram account.
SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher called it a momentous day because the artificial intelligence protections the union fought for last year have been expanded to state law.
“AI poses a threat not just to entertainers in the entertainment industry, but to workers in every field, across every industry, everywhere,” Drescher said in a statement. “No technology should be introduced into society without extreme caution and careful consideration of its long-term impact on humanity and the natural world.”
AI remains a hot topic in Hollywood, with many workers concerned that rapidly evolving technology will eliminate jobs. But proponents of the new technology say AI could be a powerful tool for creatives, allowing them to try bold ideas without being so constrained by budgets.
The new laws were part of a series of about 50 AI-related bills in the state legislature, introduced as state political leaders try to address concerns raised by the public about AI.
