A bipartisan group of US senators has introduced the AI Transparency and Accountability Act, which would require all AI-generated content, including text, images, audio, and video, to contain embedded watermarks identifying it as machine-generated. The bill has backing from both parties and the White House.
Under the proposed legislation, AI companies would be required to implement C2PA-compatible watermarking in all consumer-facing generative AI products. Social media platforms would be obligated to detect and label AI-generated content using these watermarks.
The bill includes penalties of up to $25,000 per violation for companies that fail to comply and creates a new office within the FTC to oversee enforcement. Tech industry reaction has been mixed, with some companies supporting transparency measures while others warn of implementation challenges.
