WHAT THIS BILL REGULATES · 1 REQUIREMENT TYPE
How Is This Bill Enforced
Verbatim statutory text on the left; plain-language analysis and a per-section checklist on the right. Numbered markers cross-link to the matching checklist row.
(a) 1 Offense defined.--A person is guilty of unauthorized dissemination of an artificially generated impersonation of an individual if, with knowledge or reason to know or believe that the impersonation was artificially generated, the person disseminates an artificially generated impersonation of an individual without the consent of the individual.
(b)(1)–(2) 1 Grading.--An offense under subsection (a) is: (1) a misdemeanor of the first degree; or (2) a felony of the third degree, if committed with the intent to defraud or injure another person.
This section establishes the core criminal prohibition: knowingly disseminating an AI-generated impersonation of a real individual without that individual's consent. The knowledge element requires that the disseminator knew or had reason to know or believe the impersonation was artificially generated. The baseline offense is a misdemeanor of the first degree, escalated to a felony of the third degree when the dissemination is committed with intent to defraud or injure another person.
The bill targets the act of dissemination — not creation — of AI-generated impersonations. It applies broadly to any person and is not limited to specific platforms, content types, or commercial contexts. The lack of exemptions for parody, satire, journalism, or artistic expression is notable and may create compliance uncertainty for content creators and platforms operating in Pennsylvania.
(c) Defense.--It is a defense to a prosecution under subsection (b)(1) that the person disseminated the artificially generated impersonationArtificially generated impersonation"Artificially generated impersonation." A visual image that appears to show or represent an individual or an auditory vocalization that appears to resemble or represent an individual's voice that did not occur in reality and the production of which image or vocalization was substantially dependent upon technical means, including artificial intelligence or computer software, rather than the ability of an individual to physically mimic another individual.18 Pa.C.S. § 4122(f) with the consent of the individual depicted.
Subsection (c) provides an affirmative defense to the misdemeanor charge under (b)(1): if the disseminator had the consent of the depicted individual, the misdemeanor prosecution fails. This defense is explicitly limited to the misdemeanor grade — it does not apply to the felony charge under (b)(2), which requires intent to defraud or injure. The structure implies that even consensual dissemination can be prosecuted as a felony if done with fraudulent or injurious intent toward a third party.
(d) Applicability.--A person may be convicted under this section if the victim or the offender is located within this Commonwealth.
Subsection (d) establishes broad jurisdictional reach: a person may be convicted under this section if either the victim or the offender is located within the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. This means that out-of-state dissemination targeting a Pennsylvania resident, or dissemination by a Pennsylvania resident targeting an out-of-state individual, can both trigger criminal liability.
(e) Construction.--Nothing in this section shall be construed to apply to a law enforcement officer engaged in the performance of the law enforcement officer's official duties.
Subsection (e) exempts law enforcement officers engaged in the performance of their official duties from the prohibition. This is the bill's only carve-out — no exemptions are provided for journalists, satirists, researchers, or artistic expression.
(f) Definitions.--As used in this section, the following words and phrases shall have the meanings given to them in this subsection unless the context clearly indicates otherwise: "Artificial intelligenceArtificial intelligence"Artificial intelligence." Includes any of the following: (1) An artificial system that performs tasks under varying and unpredictable circumstances without significant human oversight or that can learn from experience and improve performance when exposed to data sets. (2) An artificial system developed in computer software, physical hardware or other context that solves tasks requiring human-like perception, cognition, planning, learning, communication or physical action. (3) An artificial system designed to think or act like a human, including cognitive architectures and neural networks. (4) A set of techniques, including machine learning, that is designed to approximate a cognitive task. (5) An artificial system designed to act rationally, including an intelligent software agent or embodied robot that achieves goals using perception, planning, reasoning, learning, communicating, decision making and acting.18 Pa.C.S. § 4122(f)." Includes any of the following: (1) An artificial system that performs tasks under varying and unpredictable circumstances without significant human oversight or that can learn from experience and improve performance when exposed to data sets. (2) An artificial system developed in computer software, physical hardware or other context that solves tasks requiring human-like perception, cognition, planning, learning, communication or physical action. (3) An artificial system designed to think or act like a human, including cognitive architectures and neural networks. (4) A set of techniques, including machine learning, that is designed to approximate a cognitive task. (5) An artificial system designed to act rationally, including an intelligent software agent or embodied robot that achieves goals using perception, planning, reasoning, learning, communicating, decision making and acting. "Artificially generated impersonationArtificially generated impersonation"Artificially generated impersonation." A visual image that appears to show or represent an individual or an auditory vocalization that appears to resemble or represent an individual's voice that did not occur in reality and the production of which image or vocalization was substantially dependent upon technical means, including artificial intelligence or computer software, rather than the ability of an individual to physically mimic another individual.18 Pa.C.S. § 4122(f)." A visual image that appears to show or represent an individual or an auditory vocalization that appears to resemble or represent an individual's voice that did not occur in reality and the production of which image or vocalization was substantially dependent upon technical means, including artificial intelligenceArtificial intelligence"Artificial intelligence." Includes any of the following: (1) An artificial system that performs tasks under varying and unpredictable circumstances without significant human oversight or that can learn from experience and improve performance when exposed to data sets. (2) An artificial system developed in computer software, physical hardware or other context that solves tasks requiring human-like perception, cognition, planning, learning, communication or physical action. (3) An artificial system designed to think or act like a human, including cognitive architectures and neural networks. (4) A set of techniques, including machine learning, that is designed to approximate a cognitive task. (5) An artificial system designed to act rationally, including an intelligent software agent or embodied robot that achieves goals using perception, planning, reasoning, learning, communicating, decision making and acting.18 Pa.C.S. § 4122(f) or computer software, rather than the ability of an individual to physically mimic another individual.
Subsection (f) defines the two key terms used throughout the section. Artificial intelligence is defined broadly across five categories spanning autonomous systems, human-like reasoning systems, cognitive architectures, machine learning techniques, and rational agents. Artificially generated impersonation covers both visual images and auditory vocalizations that appear to depict a real individual but did not occur in reality, where the production was substantially dependent on technical means including AI or computer software rather than physical mimicry.