Senator Ashby's artificial intelligence regulation proposal establishes new requirements for providers of AI-generated synthetic content while expanding California's impersonation and privacy laws to address deepfakes and other AI-created media. The legislation requires companies selling or providing access to AI content generation tools to warn consumers about potential legal liability for misuse, with violations subject to civil penalties up to $25,000 per day.

The bill modifies existing privacy protections by treating AI-generated synthetic voices and likenesses as equivalent to real ones when they would reasonably appear genuine to viewers. It directs the Judicial Council to develop protocols by January 2027 for evaluating AI-generated or manipulated evidence in court proceedings. The legislation also explicitly defines synthetic content created with intent to impersonate as false personation under California criminal statutes.

Implementation timelines require the Department of Consumer Affairs to publish warning guidelines by July 2026, with mandatory compliance for AI providers beginning December 2026. The bill introduces formal definitions of artificial intelligence and synthetic content while establishing enforcement mechanisms through civil actions and monetary penalties deposited to the General Fund.