ATLANTA (WSAV) — A bill currently progressing through the Georgia Senate seeks to toughen penalties for individuals who create or possess explicit AI-generated content depicting children. The legislation addresses a growing concern about the misuse of artificial intelligence to produce harmful imagery.
“We will not tolerate this kind of material, especially the exploitation of children’s likenesses,” stated Representative Brad Thomas, the bill’s sponsor. “There will be significant consequences for those who engage in such activities.”
The bill seeks to establish a clear standard: the creation or possession of computer-generated child pornography is illegal, irrespective of whether the depicted children are real or fictional. This addresses a common legal defense used in such cases.
“It’s illegal, period,” Thomas emphasized. “Individuals cannot hide behind the argument that ‘no real child was harmed,’ as if that somehow diminishes the severity of the act.”
Hayden Wimmer, a professor of information and technology at Georgia Southern University, supported this perspective, stating, “The source of the content doesn’t lessen the impact on the victim. Whether it’s AI-generated or a physical drawing, the harm is equivalent.”
Wimmer elaborated that AI tools can generate images in a manner similar to traditional artists, often using existing images as a source of inspiration. “AI models are often trained on vast datasets, some of which may contain inappropriate content, including images of children. This allows the AI to synthesize new images, much like a human artist does,” he explained.
He noted that while widely available AI technologies like ChatGPT and DALL-E have safeguards in place to prevent the generation of explicit content, the potential for misuse remains. “Creating such content would require advanced technical knowledge. It is unlikely that the average person could do this. However, there are individuals with advanced skills who are already generating and distributing these kinds of images,” Wimmer added.
Furthermore, the bill proposes harsher punishments for crimes that are “enhanced” by AI, such as the creation of “revenge porn” or the use of AI to mimic a loved one’s voice to solicit funds. “Because the use of AI exacerbates an existing crime and can cause greater damage, the penalty should be increased”, said Thomas.
