California Governor Gavin Newsom signed Senate Bill 1050 on September 16, requiring clear disclosures whenever video or audio advertisements use AI-generated performers to sell products or services. The measure also bars continued use of non-compliant ads.

The legislation aims to protect workers in the creative economy amid growing use of synthetic figures in marketing. Senator Angelique Ashby, the bill's author, stated that it safeguards consumers from deceptive practices while preventing AI from displacing real performers who contribute daily to entertainment production across the state.

Newsom signed the bill at the Los Angeles headquarters of SAG-AFTRA, the union that helped draft the language. SAG-AFTRA National Executive Director Duncan Crabtree-Ireland praised the measure for providing greater transparency to consumers and ensuring AI is not deployed at the expense of human creativity and consent.

This action builds on prior steps by the Newsom administration to address AI's impact on the entertainment sector. It follows 2024 laws regulating digital replicas of performers' likenesses and voice.

The bill adds AI performers to existing rules against deceptive marketing practices, which already carry misdemeanor penalties. Supporters argue it maintains California's leadership in balancing technological advancement with worker protections in Hollywood.

Industry observers note that productions increasingly experiment with AI tools for cost savings, raising concerns about job displacement for actors, voice artists, and other creatives. The new disclosure requirement seeks to maintain consumer trust without banning the technology outright.

Newsom has described the effort as expanding transparency and accountability in AI while allowing California's creative economy to grow. The signing occurred alongside ongoing discussions about workforce adaptation to emerging technologies.