How the 'California effect' could shape a global approach to ethical AI

In response to the serious threat that AI-enabled bots and deepfakes pose for election integrity, the California government has pushed forward progressive pieces of legislation that have influenced federal and international efforts. Passed in 2018, the "Bots Disclosure Act" makes it unlawful to use a bot to influence a commercial transaction or a vote in an election without disclosure in California. This includes bots deployed by companies in other states and countries, which requires those companies to either develop bespoke standards for Californian residents or harmonize their strategies across jurisdictions to maintain efficiency. At the federal level, the "Bots Disclosure and Accountability Act" includes many of the same strategies proposed in California. The California "Anti-Deepfakes Bill" seeks to mitigate the spread and impact of malicious political deepfakes before an election and the federal "Deepfakes Accountability Act" seeks to do the same.