California Gov. Gavin Newsom signs laws strengthening digital likeness protections for actors

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NEWSOM SIGNS TWO BILLS TO PROTECT ACTORS’ DIGITAL LIKENESSES

California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Tuesday signed a pair of bills aimed at protecting screen actors and performers from digital likeness abuse.

The first bill, AB 2602, by Assemblyman Ash Kalra, D-San Jose, requires’ that an actor or performer’s contract must specify whether their employer can use artificial intelligence (AI) generated digital replicas of their voice or likeness, and that the performer must be professionally represented in negotiating the contract.

“While this bill was informed by negotiations during the historic strike by SAG-AFTRA, AB 2602 shows how California can strike the right balance between AI innovation and protecting workers in the digital age,” Kalra said in a statement.

Then there’s AB 1836, by Assemblywoman Rebecca Bauer-Kahan, D-Orinda, which bans the commercial use of digital replicas of deceased performers without obtaining the consent of their estates.

“It is now possible to create new performances of artists even after their death. Individuals and their estates deserve protections that extend beyond their life to ensure they control their own likeness and profit from it; that is exactly what AB 1836 does,” Bauer-Kahan said in a statement.

In a statement, Newsom said that while AI continues to transform the entertainment industry, “our north star has always been to protect workers.”

“This legislation ensures the industry can continue thriving while strengthening protections for workers and how their likeness can or cannot be used,” Newsom said.

CALIFORNIA CITIES SEE HIGH INFLATION

Via David Lightman...

Four California metropolitan areas are on the list of “cities with the biggest inflation problems” in the United States.

The San Diego area has the sixth highest rate of recent inflation. The Los Angeles metropolitan area ranks 11th, San Francisco is 19th and the Riverside area 21st. Topping the list are Minneapolis, Chicago, Detroit, Honolulu and New York City.

The data was compiled by WalletHub, which analyzes financial data. The numbers come from from the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Consumer Price Index for two recent months. The index is regarded in economic circles as the nonpartisan, authoritative look at price changes.

Inflation has become a major issue in the presidential campaign. Prices rose 9.1% nationally during the 12 months ending in June 2022, their steepest rise in about 40 years. Since then, though, inflation has cooled, and prices rose at an annual rate of 2.5% for the 12 monthe ending in August.

Among prices that have driven inflation higher in California are the cost of gasoline. The average price of a gallon of regular gasoline in the state Tuesday was $4.78. Nationally, the average was $3.20, according to AAA.

QUOTE...ERR...SONG OF THE DAY

It’s a musical edition of Quote of the Day, as the tech industry-funded Chamber of Progress used AI to generate a song urging Gov. Gavin Newsom to veto SB 1047, a bill to regulate AI. You can listen here.

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This story was originally published September 18, 2024 at 4:55 AM.