From now on, groups releasing political ads using AI technology must disclose that fact. That’s due to a bill authored by New Orleans Representative Mandie Landry and signed into law by Governor Jeff Landry. Representative Landry says her bill walks a fine line between protecting people’s right to free speech and holding people accountable for using deceptive means to hurt others.
“For those of us who are public figures, the public can go a lot further with what they say about us. The question is, is it just something making fun of us, or is it intending to actually harm our reputation?” Landry asked.
Nowhere was that more evident than in the runup to the runoff election in the Republican U.S. Senate primary between Julia Letlow and John Fleming, both of whom had AI attack ads made against them. Representative Landry says such AI content is something that will likely be addressed next year.
“I think next session, some of my colleagues are going to want to push some of this a little further. Because when we passed this, it was before a lot of the ads that you’re talking about; and a lot of people were hesitant about how far they wanted to push it,” Landry said.
Mandie Landry says those who violate the new law face substantial penalties when it takes effect on August 1st.
“If you are able to prove that I did an AI video of you robbing a bank when you were running for office, and I didn’t have a disclosure, I could be fined and face up to two years in jail,” Landry noted.
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