Minnesota took a step closer to regulating so-called "deepfake" technology on Wednesday when the state Senate passed a bill that would prohibit using the technology to depict sexual content or manipulate the outcome of elections.
Bill regulating 'deepfake' technology passes Minnesota Senate
The Senate and House bills now head to conference committee, where they'll be merged into one.
May 11, 2023 at 10:01PM
Using the technology that's powered by artificial intelligence, people can create a realistic-looking video of someone doing things they never actually did. Already, deepfakes have been used to create sexually explicit videos of people or fake political content aimed at influencing elections.
"As we all know, deepfake technology has the potential to wreak havoc on our society," said Sen. Erin Maye Quade, DFL-Apple Valley, reciting a speech she revealed was written for her by the artificial intelligence program ChatGPT. "Deepfake technology has the power to damage reputations, ruin lives and even threaten the integrity of our democracy."
Maye Quade, who sponsored the Senate bill, said 96% of deepfake videos found online are "pornographic in nature."
Senators voted 64-1 to pass the bill. The House passed it unanimously in March. A conference committee began meeting Thursday to reconcile the differences in the two chambers' bills.
"We need to get something into law, under the recognition that technology continues to advance. We need to protect all Minnesotans," said Sen. Eric Lucero, R-St. Michael, a cybersecurity professional who co-sponsored the bill.
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