A legislation sponsored by Sen. Ken Yagger (R-Kingston) to combat the rise of AI-generated child pornography in Tennessee has been signed into law by Gov. Bill Lee. Senate Bill 741 has a firm attitude towards the abuse of artificial intelligence technology to exploit children.
“The law is to keep pace with rapidly evolving technologies to protect children from unthinkable exploitation,” Sen. Yagger said. “Bad actors use AI to create disturbing and abusive content, and Tennessee takes a strong position to stop it. By criminalizing the tools used to generate AI child porn, they provide law enforcement with what they need to pursue criminals and protect victims.”
The law criminalizes AI to knowingly own, distribute or produce software or technology specifically designed to create or promote the creation of generated child sexual abuse materials. The law addresses growing concern over the misuse of advanced AI tools and generates realistic, fully synthesized images of minors in the context of pornography.
“When you’re in the wrong hands, artificial intelligence has the ability to make exploitative crimes even worse,” said David Rausch, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation Director. “I praise the General Assembly and Lee Governor Lee for their value in strengthening the state’s laws to better protect Tennessee, and I’m proud that our state is leading the common sense measures to ensure that this emerging technology doesn’t become a dangerous tool for bad actors.”
Coach Rausch said: “I would like to specially thank Senator Kenyager for his active involvement with the TBI team to create this law and ensure that he has balanced the important and proper use of the technology.”
Under the new law of such tools, it is classified as a Class E felony. Distribution is a Class C felony. Production of child sexual abuse material generated by AI is a Class B felony.
Importantly, the law does not widely ban AI technology or software. narrowly target tools built or used to generate child sex abuse material and store legitimate applications of AI.
Signed by Governor Lee, the law comes into effect on July 1, 2025, advocating an important step in our ongoing efforts to protect Tennessee children and hold them accountable in the digital age.
