LANSING, Mich. (WJRT) – Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has signed two bills making it a crime to create or distribute harmful AI-generated images or videos depicting people in sexual situations.
House Bills 4047 and 4048, sponsored by state Reps. Matthew Bierlein and Penelope Tsernoglou, target the use of AI to create deepfakes involving real individuals in sexual situations.
“As a county prosecutor, I went after people who used their power to prey on others,” Whitmer said. “Now, as governor, I’m proud to sign these bipartisan bills into law, so we can protect Michiganders from this rising form of sexual exploitation.”
These deepfakes can damage reputations and personal lives, prompting the need for legal action. Bierlein said the new law will protect citizens’ dignity and privacy.
“Technology should be used to improve lives, not to exploit them — and today we’ve taken an important step to ensure that,” Bierlein said.
