NEW YORK- Two new state laws put New York at the forefront of regulating artificial intelligence in the entertainment world after Governor Kathy Hochul signed both bills into law. Supporters of the new laws say that they will provide protection to consumers, performers, and even the legacies of the deceased in showbusiness.
The first new rule requires advertisers to disclose when they use AI-generated “synthetic performers,” digital creations that look and act like real people. With more companies turning to computer-generated faces and voices to pitch products online and on social media, officials say the line between real and artificial has blurred too quickly for comfort.
“By signing these bills today, we are enacting common-sense laws that ensure transparency,” Governor Hochul said. “New York is setting a clear standard that keeps pace with technology while protecting artists and consumers long after the credits roll.”
A second new law strengthens posthumous rights by requiring permission from a deceased person’s heirs before their name, image, or likeness can be used commercially.
State Senator Mike Gianaris, a Queens Democrat who sponsored one of the bills, said the protections come at a critical moment. “Film and television production remain integral to New York’s economy,” he noted, emphasizing that workers should not see their likeness replaced without consent.
Assemblymember Linda B. Rosenthal, a longtime advocate on the issue, said AI-generated deepfakes have already cost jobs and confused consumers. “New Yorkers will finally have the information they need to decipher fact from fiction,” she said. “Reduced production costs aren’t worth the price of obscuring reality.”