Creating sexually explicit deepfakes to become a criminal offence

UK – In England and Wales, the government is set to pass a new law to criminalise the creation of sexually explicit deepfake images.

The law will be introduced as an amendment to the Criminal Justice Bill and follows the Online Safety Act, which was passed in 2023, that made the sharing of deepfakes illegal. Offenders making explicit images of an adult without their consent could face a criminal record, unlimited fines and even jail time if the image has been widely shared.

The new legislation means that if someone creates a sexually explicit deepfake with the intention to cause alarm, humiliation or distress to the victim, they will be committing a criminal offence even if they do not plan to share the image.

In The Future of Responsible AI we explored how the ethical application of AI relies on upper-level executives, government officials and industry leaders exhibiting active efforts to deploy responsible AI best practice. Boundaries, legislation and regulation will ensure AI is implemented in a way that improves, rather than detracts from, humans’ quality of life.