Seen an ad using AI 'actors'? It could be illegal. | Mashable

Seen an ad using AI 'actors'? It could be illegal. | Mashable
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Seen an ad with an AI influencer or actor? It may be against the law.
New York has a law regulating AI "actors," but will Trump's FTC
正文
Seen an ad with an AI influencer or actor? It may be against the law.
New York has a law regulating AI "actors," but will Trump's FTC crack down on synthetic performers, too?
Matt Binder
August 27, 2026
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Two complaints of undisclosed AI use have already been submitted to New York's AG under the new law. This screenshot was included in the Athletifreak complaint alleging the undisclosed use of synthetic performers.
Credit: New York state attorney general office
In June,
a new law
went into effect in New York state that requires companies to disclose when they use AI-generated models or actors in advertisements. And now, just a few months after it went into effect, the state is seeing its first complaints reporting advertisers for allegedly running afoul of the law.
In total, four complaints have been filed since the law went into effect, the New York attorney general's office told Mashable. All four are currently under review by the AG.
New York's Synthetic Performers law is the first of its kind in the United States, and with
growing anti-AI sentiment
, it likely won't be the last. In fact, companies that use AI actors or influencers to promote products without disclosure could also be violating federal law, though the Trump administration has so far taken a hands-off approach to AI regulation.
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The first two
anonymous complaints
under the New York law, which accuse two companies of using synthetic models or performers in their ads without disclosure, were recently obtained and published by
Straight Arrow News
. The first complaint alleges that "premium performance wear brand" Athletifreak used AI-generated models when promoting the clothing company's products. The complaint includes numerous screenshots taken from Athletifreak's website.
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The second complaint sent to the New