(COLUMBUS) - Ohio lawmakers are advancing legislation aimed at restricting the use of artificial intelligence to create sexually explicit content, particularly involving minors and non-consensual images.
Proposals under consideration would make it illegal to create or distribute AI-generated explicit material depicting minors, even if no real child was involved. Lawmakers say current laws do not fully address the growing use of AI to produce realistic images that can be harmful or exploitative.
The legislation is part of a broader effort to regulate artificial intelligence as its use expands. Some proposals would also require watermarking of AI-generated content and target identity fraud involving digital replicas of real people.
Supporters say the measures are needed to close gaps in existing law and protect victims, particularly as AI tools make it easier to generate convincing explicit images without consent.
The bills remain under consideration in the Ohio legislature.