California’s AI-Likeness Laws Give Performers and Creators New Reasons to Read the Fine Print

California has already addressed certain digital replicas

California enacted protections addressing some digital replicas of performers’ voices and likenesses in September 2024. The governor’s office identified Assembly Bills 2602 and 1836 as measures intended to address concerns about artificial intelligence and the use of a recognizable human identity.

Those laws are not a blanket ban on artificial intelligence, and they were not newly signed this week. Their continuing relevance comes from the growing use of realistic synthetic voices, digital performances and online content that can resemble real people.

AB 2602 addresses certain contract provisions involving digital replicas, while AB 1836 concerns specified uses involving deceased personalities. Whether either applies to a particular creator depends on the statutory requirements and the circumstances of the disputed material.

Influencers face practical risks beyond Hollywood

An influencer or small-business owner may discover an account using a familiar face, voice or name to sell products, solicit money or mislead followers. That does not automatically mean a particular California performer-protection statute applies, but it creates reasons to document the conduct and review available reporting options.

Contract language matters when creators agree to advertising, licensing or production arrangements. Terms addressing voice, likeness, future digital replicas, compensation and consent can influence what a company is permitted to do with recorded material.

California also announced an artificial-intelligence workforce monitoring initiative in June 2026. That separate development illustrates the state’s continued attention to AI’s economic effects without changing the dates or scope of the earlier likeness laws.

What creators should do when a likeness is copied

Creators should save links, screenshots and relevant account names before material disappears, then use verified platform-reporting channels. If contracts, commercial endorsements or significant financial harm are involved, qualified legal advice can help identify the applicable rights.

A copied profile, parody, licensed advertisement and unauthorized synthetic performance can raise different questions. Responsible coverage should avoid promising that every imitation is illegal or that a platform must remove every piece of AI-assisted content.

Limits and what to watch

The cited performer-protection bills were signed in September 2024, not newly enacted this month, and their coverage depends on the statutory language and the facts of each situation.

The next development to watch is updated state guidance, new enforcement disputes and the continued development of California’s artificial-intelligence policy.