California lawmakers took steps on Monday to regulate the artificial intelligence industry and address the issue of deepfakes.

Amid rising concerns over the misuse of AI tools to deceive voters and produce deepfake pornography involving minors, lawmakers have passed several bills aimed at curbing such practices. One notable piece of legislation seeks to ban election-related deepfakes, mandating that large social media platforms remove such deceptive content 120 days before and 60 days after an election.

Political campaigns would be required to disclose any use of AI-altered materials in their advertisements.

Another set of proposals targets the creation and distribution of AI-generated images and videos depicting child sexual abuse. Current laws only allow for prosecution if it can be proven that the materials depict real individuals. The new proposals would fill this legal gap, making it illegal to produce or spread AI-generated child sexual abuse content.

In an effort to empower users, another bill mandates tech companies and social media platforms to provide AI detection tools. This initiative aims to help users identify and flag AI-generated content more effectively.

The Democrat-controlled California legislature is in the process of voting on hundreds of bills during the final week of its session, all of which are destined for Governor Newsom’s desk. The deadline for the votes is Saturday, with the governor having until September 30 to sign, veto, or allow the bills to become law without his signature.

Mr. Newsom indicated in July that he plans to sign a proposal targeting election-related deepfakes. However, he has not publicly commented on other AI-related legislation.

The governor has previously cautioned against overregulation, warning it could negatively impact the state’s burgeoning tech industry. Recent budgetary concerns have also influenced his decision-making on legislative matters he might otherwise support.