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Bill

A 5024

OPEN Bill Number - Has Not Been Assigned

2026-2027 Regular Session

Prohibits distributing AI-generated realistic likenesses or voices of individuals without consent, enabling enforcement and remedies for unauthorized use.

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WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · A 5024

Summary of Bill A 5024 (Session 222) – New Jersey

Purpose and intent

  • Establishes the “AI Likeness Protection Act” to regulate the use of realistic representations of a person’s image, likeness, or voice produced by generative artificial intelligence (AI).
  • Aims to protect individuals from unauthorized distribution and exploitation of AI-generated depictions that closely resemble real people.

Key provisions and changes

  • Prohibition on unauthorized distribution: Prohibits the distribution, publication, or dissemination of a realistic representation of an individual’s image, likeness, or voice that is generated or manipulated by AI when such representation is intended to simulate or impersonate the actual person.
  • Scope of protected representations: Covers images, likenesses, and voices that are realistic enough to be mistaken for the real individual, including deepfakes and other generative AI creations.
  • Consent and authorization: Likely requires consent from the depicted individual for the AI-generated representation to be distributed publicly or for certain uses, with defined exceptions.
  • Exceptions and defenses: Potentially includes allowances for contextual uses (e.g., parody, news reporting, research, or bandwidth-limited previews) or where consent is implied by other lawful means, subject to specific criteria.
  • Enforcement mechanisms: Establishes enforcement procedures, including possible civil remedies for victims, such as damages, injunctions, and attorney’s fees, and may specify who has standing to sue (the depicted individual or their representatives).
  • Penalties: Specifies penalties for violations, which could range from civil fines to other sanctions, aligned with New Jersey civil/enforcement norms.
  • Private right of action: Likely provides individuals with a private right of action to seek relief in state courts for unauthorized AI-generated representations.
  • Preemption and related law: Addresses how this act interacts with existing intellectual property, tort, or privacy laws in New Jersey, and whether it creates new, standalone rights or augments current protections.

Who and what would be affected

  • Individuals depicted in AI-generated representations: Primary subjects protected against unauthorized distribution of realistic images, likenesses, or voices.
  • Content creators, distributors, and platforms: Entities that produce, post, or share AI-generated depictions, including social media platforms, media outlets, and digital publishers, would need to obtain consent or comply with prohibitions.
  • Service providers and technologists: Developers and providers of generative AI tools may be affected by restrictions on enabling distribution of realistic representations or may face obligations to implement safeguards.
  • Potentially affected industries: Entertainment, advertising, news media, social media, and any sector utilizing AI to generate or manipulate realistic depictions of real people.

Procedural and timeline aspects

  • Status: Introduced as A 5024 in New Jersey’s 222nd session.
  • Effective date: The bill would specify an effective date or future effective date after enactment (e.g., immediate upon enactment or a set date post-signature/veto).
  • Application and compliance timeline: If enacted, there would be a compliance period for covered entities to adjust policies, obtain consent, and implement enforcement mechanisms.
  • Relationship to existing law: The bill would define its relationship to trademark, copyright, privacy, and tort law, potentially creating a distinct cause of action for unauthorized AI-generated likeness violations.

Potential impacts and considerations

  • Privacy and personal rights: Strengthens control over how a person’s likeness or voice can be used in AI-generated content.
  • Innovation and AI development: Balances protection with possible implications for creators who use AI for legitimate parody, journalism, or experimental work; may require clear clarifications on allowed uses.
  • Legal clarity: Provides enforceable standards for digital content platforms and content creators to follow, reducing ambiguity around permissible use of AI-generated likenesses.
  • Definitional precision: The act’s effectiveness will depend on precise definitions of “realistic representation,” “authorization/consent,” and what constitutes “unauthorized distribution.”

Note: This summary reflects the bill’s stated objectives and common features typically found in AI-likeness protection legislation. For exact language, definitions, and enacted provisions, consult the official bill text and subsequent amendments.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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