RALEIGH, N.C. — The North Carolina Senate on Thursday took steps to criminalize one of artificial intelligence’s darker sides – using the new technology to create pornography, including child porn.
It also would outlaw AI-generated images intended to mimic child pornography.
First-of-its-kind case in North Carolina that victims call ‘strange and unsettling’
The bill comes as courts are already working to deal with the fallout from AI-generated porn.
Last year, 41-year-old child psychologist David Tatum was convicted in federal court in Charlotte on child pornography charges.
Among the items prosecutors say were found on his computer: childhood photos of high school girlfriends, transformed by AI into child pornography.
According to the FBI, one victim, now in her 40s said Tatum altered a photograph taken when she was 15.
In a victim impact statement, she wrote, “David Tatum took that cherished memory and turned it into a new memory – one that elicits nausea, fear, and overwhelming discomfort and distrust within me.”
Another victim said she thought it was a scam when FBI agents approached her about the case.
“I can’t describe the moment when they showed me my 15-year-old naked body,” she wrote.
Tatum was sentenced to 40 years in prison.
This new bill would give police more options in similar cases.
The bill’s lead sponsor, Sen. Amy Galey, R-Alamance County, said the bill was inspired by a case in her own district involving a minor. She declined to provide further details, citing the family’s privacy.
Her hope is the bill will be a way to make sure the state’s sex crimes laws keep pace, as technology continues to evolve.
A version of the bill has passed both the state House and the Senate. The Senate’s version will need to go back to the House, before potentially moving on to Gov. Roy Cooper’s desk.
Eugen Boglaru is an AI aficionado covering the fascinating and rapidly advancing field of Artificial Intelligence. From machine learning breakthroughs to ethical considerations, Eugen provides readers with a deep dive into the world of AI, demystifying complex concepts and exploring the transformative impact of intelligent technologies.
