California, United States · Legislation

California AI Transparency Act

The Act requires qualifying generative AI providers to offer a content-detection tool and apply manifest or latent provenance disclosures to generated content.

Current status
In force
Published or updated
19 September 2024
Effective date
1 January 2026
Last verified
19 August 2026

Prepared by Longan Bay Area AI Legal Research Center based on official public materials.

01

Scope of application & addressees

  • Providers above the statutory traffic threshold that publicly offer generative AI systems
  • Platforms supplying image, audio or video generation
  • Businesses licensing covered generative systems to third parties

02

Core regulatory mandates & key requirements

01A free, publicly available AI-content detection tool is required.

02Generated content must carry prescribed provenance disclosures and users must receive relevant options.

03Providers must take prescribed licence action when a licensee removes the disclosure mechanism.

03

Enforcement & compliance timeline

The Governor approved SB 942.

The Act became operative.

Primary text

Statutory & regulatory text

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