Assembly Member Sanchez's proposal to modernize California's extortion laws addresses emerging threats in the digital age by expanding the definition of criminal extortion to include threats involving AI-generated media. The legislation would amend the Penal Code to establish that threats to post, distribute, or create AI-generated images or videos of another person can constitute extortion when used to induce fear.

The measure adds this new category of threats to the existing framework of extortion law, which currently encompasses threats of physical harm, accusations of crimes, exposure of secrets, and reporting of immigration status. Under the amended code, prosecutors could bring extortion charges against individuals who attempt to obtain property or official acts by threatening to create or share AI-generated content of their targets.

Local law enforcement agencies and courts would implement these provisions without state reimbursement, as the measure creates a new crime category rather than modifying existing penalties. The bill maintains the current legal structure while incorporating modern technological threats into California's criminal code.