Gov. Pritzker signs bill cracking down on AI-generated child pornography
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker has signed a bill that clarifies state laws against child pornography still apply to images and videos created by artificial intelligence.
Pritzker signed the law, HB4623, on Friday of last week. It takes effect Jan. 1.
The measure prohibits the use of artificial intelligence to create child pornography that involves either real children or obscene imagery. The legislation also prohibits the non-consensual dissemination of certain AI-created sexual images.
"Now more than ever, we must address the challenges of AI-generated images and videos in child pornography," Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul said in a statement in April. "Any and all child exploitation can be a devastating crime that leaves survivors and their families dealing with a lifetime of trauma. We must hold predators accountable so survivors can receive justice to support their healing."
In Laguna Beach, California, police and school officials are investigating reports of nude photos of high school students created with AI and distributed to the student body in the last week. And last month in Beverly Hills, five middle school students were expelled after they created and circulated AI-generated nude photos of classmates.
In March, students at Richmond Burton Community High School in Richmond, Illinois—in McHenry County near the Wisconsin state line—claimed their images were altered into sexually explicit photos and sent to other classmates.