The governor's 9 June release said the law applies to advertisements using AI-generated synthetic performers and described those performers as digitally created media that appear as a real person. The Senate bill page identifies the measure as S8420A, says it amends New York General Business Law section 396-b, and lists it as signed by the governor on 11 December 2025.
Table: Core requirements in New York's synthetic-performer ad law
| Issue | Requirement or limit |
|---|---|
| Covered action | Producing or creating an advertisement in any medium that includes a synthetic performer |
| Knowledge standard | Disclosure applies where the person has actual knowledge |
| First violation | Civil penalty of $1,000 |
| Later violations | Civil penalty of $5,000 |
| Expressive-work exemption | Ads or promotional materials for works such as motion pictures, television, streaming content, documentaries and video games are exempt if the synthetic performer use is consistent with the work |
Source: New York Senate Bill S8420A and governor's release, 2026.
The operative duty is narrower than a general AI-content label. The Senate text says a person who produces or creates an advertisement for a commercial purpose, in any medium, must conspicuously disclose that a synthetic performer is in the advertisement where that person has actual knowledge. It sets a civil penalty of $1,000 for a first violation and $5,000 for any later violation.
The bill text also contains an exemption for advertisements and promotional materials for expressive works, including motion pictures, television programmes, streaming content, documentaries, video games and similar audiovisual works, where the use of the synthetic performer in the advertisement is consistent with the use in the expressive work. That exemption matters because the governor's release frames the measure around advertising in the film and television industry rather than a blanket ban on synthetic performers.
The legislative record shows the measure moved through the 2025 session before taking effect in 2026. The Senate page lists a 59-0 floor vote on 13 June 2025, delivery to the governor on 1 December 2025 and signature on 11 December 2025. Those dates support the current status without relying only on the governor's later announcement.