AI Frontier Institute

A bill for an act relating to restrictions on the use of artificial intelligence, and creating a civil cause of action.

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Iowa House File 2082 proposes new Chapter 554J of the Iowa Code to restrict the use of artificial intelligence to recreate individuals' likenesses without consent. Effective July 1, 2026, Section 554J.2 prohibits any person from using AI to intentionally recreate an audio or visual likeness of an individual—when that likeness is substantially indistinguishable from the actual person—without consent, across five prohibited uses: (1) commercial activity, (2) a political campaign the individual does not support, (3) depicting the individual in activities they would find offensive, (4) diminishing the individual's credibility or esteem, or (5) inducing another person to take an action or divulge information they otherwise would not. Section 554J.1 defines 'artificial intelligence' as any machine-based system that infers from inputs to generate outputs such as content, decisions, predictions, or recommendations that can influence physical or virtual environments. Section 554J.3 creates a civil cause of action allowing individuals to sue for actual and punitive damages, reasonable attorney fees, and court costs. Punitive damages are capped at $250,000 per violation, with each day of continued violation counted as a separate offense. Class actions are permitted under Iowa rules of civil procedure. Courts must weigh multiple factors when setting punitive damages, including severity, willfulness, economic effect, deterrence, and the violator's good-faith compliance efforts. The bill does not preempt other civil or criminal remedies.

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