Two men charged with creating AI-generated porn under new law targeting 'deepfakes'

Two men have been charged with using artificial intelligence to create deepfake pornography, marking some of the earliest prosecutions under the Take It Down Act. The law, signed last year, imposes stricter penalties for publishing AI-created deepfakes.

What happened

Cornelius Shannon and Arturo Hernandez were arrested for generating sexually explicit AI content that garnered millions of views online. Shannon allegedly published numerous albums of AI-generated pornography featuring female politicians, musicians, and singers. Hernandez's deepfakes included celebrities as well as private women, including recent high school graduates. The men each face up to two years in prison under the new law.