Newsom signs laws to protect Hollywood from fake AI actors
SACRAMENTO, California — Gov. Gavin Newsom signed legislation Tuesday that would protect actors from being replaced by digital imposters — even after their death — without their consent, in a win for Hollywood stars warning about the risks of artificial intelligence.
“We talk about California being a state of dreamers and doers — a lot of dreamers come to California, but sometimes they’re not well-represented,” the governor said in a video announcing the signings with SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher. “We’re making sure no one turns over their name, image and likeness to unscrupulous people without representation or union advocacy.”
The move comes as celebrities increasingly voice concerns about the impacts of AI on their industry and beyond — a key sticking point in labor negotiations over the actors’ strike last year, led by the SAG-AFTRA union.
As governor of California, home to both Big Tech and influential entertainment industries, Newsom faces pressures from Hollywood as a key base for wealthy Democratic donors, as well as from Silicon Valley companies that help fuel state jobs and the economy.
Industry players like the Motion Picture Association of America fought the legislation, arguing it would hamstring innovation and spur costly court fights (the MPA later took a neutral stance on the bill after amendments). But Newsom sided with labor, handing significant victories to actors who have pushed for more control.
One measure, authored by Democratic Assemblymember Ash Kalra and sponsored by influential labor groups, would set new rules on the use of digital replicas in performer contracts. The other by Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer-Kahan, sponsored by SAG-AFTRA, would allow the estates of deceased celebrities to sueif someone digitally replicates them without consent.
Artificial intelligence has become a central concern for labor unions who fear the technology will erase jobs. Actors and musicians have raised alarms about digitally generated content supplanting their work without fair compensation.
But the union has also hit the limits of its influence even in labor-friendly Sacramento, with Newsom last year vetoing a SAG-AFTRA bill to offer striking actors unemployment insurance. A similar bill collapsed earlier this year.
Sacramento’s broader AI debate has pulled in prominent actors — including Mark Ruffalo, Sean Astin and Rosie Perez — who recently endorsed another bill on Newsom’s desk, unrelated to celebrity images, that has faced fierce tech resistance and would require large-scale AI models to undergo safety testing before deployment.
The entertainment industry has been a “canary in the coal mine” when it comes to artificial intelligence, said Jason George, a member of the SAG-AFTRA board and co-chair of the union’s government and public policy committee.
"We have, just out of pure self-preservation, had to pay attention to the possibilities with AI technology," the "Grey’s Anatomy" actor said in an interview. "And we saw the dangers to our industry as performers and members of this union, but we also saw danger to our communities, in society, as citizens."
CLARIFICATION: This article has been updated to clarify the Motion Picture Association's final position on certain AI legislation.
