NEW YORK STATE--Gov. Kathy Hochul announced actions to protect against untrustworthy and fraudulent uses for artificial intelligence in New York as the state continues to build and embrace the future of responsible AI. Hochul’s actions include new legislation, presented as part of her FY 2025 Executive Budget, which would add a misdemeanor for unauthorized uses of a person’s voice; allow for a private right of action to combat digitally manipulated false images; update the Penal Law to account for unauthorized uses of artificial intelligence; and require disclosures on digitized political communications published within 60 days of an election.
“As part of our work to bring the future of AI to our state, I’m proposing nation-leading protections for New Yorkers to ensure that we’re doing it safely and responsibly,” Hochul said. “This legislation will help to set important guardrails around the use of this cutting-edge technology and give law enforcement the tools it needs to go after bad actors, and I will work closely with the Legislature to make sure we get this done.”
In light of recent, high-profile incidents involving unauthorized uses of AI and deepfakes, the governor is prioritizing safety as the state continues to build its AI footprint. Hochul has proposed legislation to add a misdemeanor for the unauthorized use of one’s voice in connection with advertising or trade and to expand the existing misdemeanor of unlawful dissemination or publication of an intimate image to also include liability for unlawfully disseminating authentic or digitized audio featuring sexual content. The legislation would also clarify that the prohibition under current law on the unlawful distribution of intimate or sexually explicit images, includes digital images. It also adds a new private right of action for the publication of false digitally altered material.
The legislation would also update the Penal Law to clarify that crimes committed with the unauthorized use of artificial intelligence still constitute crimes and expand certain crimes to specifically include unauthorized uses of artificial intelligence.
“As part of our work to bring the future of AI to our state, I’m proposing nation-leading protections for New Yorkers to ensure that we’re doing it safely and responsibly,” Hochul said. “This legislation will help to set important guardrails around the use of this cutting-edge technology and give law enforcement the tools it needs to go after bad actors, and I will work closely with the Legislature to make sure we get this done.”
In light of recent, high-profile incidents involving unauthorized uses of AI and deepfakes, the governor is prioritizing safety as the state continues to build its AI footprint. Hochul has proposed legislation to add a misdemeanor for the unauthorized use of one’s voice in connection with advertising or trade and to expand the existing misdemeanor of unlawful dissemination or publication of an intimate image to also include liability for unlawfully disseminating authentic or digitized audio featuring sexual content. The legislation would also clarify that the prohibition under current law on the unlawful distribution of intimate or sexually explicit images, includes digital images. It also adds a new private right of action for the publication of false digitally altered material.
The legislation would also update the Penal Law to clarify that crimes committed with the unauthorized use of artificial intelligence still constitute crimes and expand certain crimes to specifically include unauthorized uses of artificial intelligence.
