Oklahoma Senate Bill SB746

Oklahoma 2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 2/3/25
• Refer: 2/4/25

Caption

Artificial intelligence; requiring certain disclosure for certain media. Effective date.

Summary

SB 746 creates a new disclosure requirement for certain political and election-related media that uses generative artificial intelligence. It defines “generative artificial intelligence” and requires that political advertisements, electioneering communications, or other candidate- or election-related media created in whole or in part with AI and depicting a real person doing something that did not actually occur must prominently state: “Created in whole or in part with the use of generative artificial intelligence.” The bill also specifies how the disclosure must appear in visual, video, and audio formats. The bill gives candidates a private right of action if their appearance, actions, or speech are depicted using generative AI in violation of the disclosure rule. A candidate may seek injunctive or other equitable relief to stop publication, or sue for general or special damages, and a court may award costs and attorney fees to the prevailing party. The bill includes exemptions for certain news broadcasts, paid broadcasts made in good faith after efforts to verify authenticity, general-interest news publications that clearly disclaim inauthentic depictions, and satire or parody. The act would take effect November 1, 2025.

Impact

SB 746 would add a new section to Title 75A of the Oklahoma Statutes governing the use of generative AI in political communications. It would impose mandatory disclosure obligations on candidates, candidate committees, political action committees, and political party committees when they distribute AI-generated or AI-altered media depicting real people in a misleading way, while also creating enforcement through civil litigation. The bill would affect political advertisers, campaign committees, media producers, and candidates, and it would create a legal standard for distinguishing regulated campaign media from exempt news, commentary, and parody content.

Sentiment

The available record suggests the bill was introduced as a targeted election-integrity and transparency measure rather than a broadly controversial policy proposal. Its framing indicates concern about deceptive AI-generated political content and the need for viewers and voters to know when media has been synthetically altered. There is no committee transcript or vote record provided showing organized support or opposition, so the overall sentiment cannot be measured from debate history, but the bill’s structure suggests a generally protective approach toward candidates and voters.

Contention

The main points of potential contention are the scope of the disclosure requirement and the balance between transparency and free expression. Supporters would likely emphasize preventing deceptive deepfakes and misleading campaign ads, while critics may argue that the bill could burden political speech, create compliance uncertainty, or invite litigation over what counts as AI-generated or misleading content. The exemptions for news, paid broadcasts, and satire/parody suggest lawmakers anticipated concerns about press freedom and First Amendment issues, as well as the difficulty of regulating editorial and comedic uses of AI.