California AI Transparency Act (SB 942, as amended by AB 853 and SB 1000)
California’s rules on hidden provenance data in AI-generated content. Provider duties apply from 2 August 2026; platform duties from 1 January 2027; camera makers from 1 January 2028.
· Large online platform and AI hosting platform duties apply
Applies to
Generative AI providers publicly accessible in California; from 2027, large online platforms (more than 2 million monthly users) and generative AI hosting platforms; from 2028, makers of cameras and recording devices.
The AI Transparency Act requires generative AI providers to embed hidden (latent) disclosures in AI-generated images, video and audio, and to offer a free tool that checks for them. AB 853 moved its start date to 2 August 2026 and added duties for large online platforms, AI hosting platforms and capture-device makers.
SB 1000, signed on 30 September 2026 and effective immediately, removed the one-million-user threshold (so any publicly accessible generative AI provider in California is covered) and dropped the duty to offer visible labels. Penalties are $5,000 per violation, with each day counted separately. A second bill signed the same day, AB 2713, adjusts from 1 January 2027 how large platforms must let users inspect provenance data, and bars them from knowingly stripping it from content users download.
Key dates
SB 942 signed
AB 853 signed: start moved to 2 August 2026, platform and device duties added
Provider duties apply
SB 1000 signed and in force: user threshold and visible-label duty removed; AB 2713 signed: platform provenance duties refined from 2027
Large online platform and AI hosting platform duties apply