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California AI Transparency Act (SB 942 as amended by AB 853)

Covered providers offer a free AI-detection tool and embed latent disclosures, with an optional manifest disclosure, in generated image, video and audio; large online platforms and capture devices follow later

By Reviewed

From clause to evidenceThe chain from California SB 942 as amended by AB 853 to its evidence record, in 6 steps; the text alternative lists them and the facts under the figure state each in full.Clause: California AI Transparency Act (SB 942 as amended by AB 853), SB 942 as amended by AB 853ClauseCalifornia SB942SB 942 asDuty holder: Covered providers of public generative AI systems; large online platforms; capture-device makersDuty holderCoveredproviders of…Applies from: 2026-08-02 (In force)Applies from2026-08-02In forceArtefact: Provenance pipeline writing latent metadata; public detection endpoint; platform-side provenance displayArtefactProvenancepipeline…Layers: Layer 03 Evals & Red Teaming as Evidence and Layer 04 Runtime Controls & ObservabilityLayersLayer 03Layer 04Evidence record: the common evidence record (Evidence record v1)Evidence recordEvidence recordv1Same topic elsewhere: no crosswalk topic files this clause yetAs of 2026-09-24 · illustrative, not a claim of conformity From clause to evidenceThe chain from California SB 942 as amended by AB 853 to its evidence record, in 6 steps; the text alternative lists them and the facts under the figure state each in full.Clause: California AI Transparency Act (SB 942 as amended by AB 853), SB 942 as amended by AB 853ClauseCalifornia SB 942 · SB 942 as…Duty holder: Covered providers of public generative AI systems; large online platforms; capture-device makersDuty holderCovered providers of public…Applies from: 2026-08-02 (In force)Applies from2026-08-02 · In forceArtefact: Provenance pipeline writing latent metadata; public detection endpoint; platform-side provenance displayArtefactProvenance pipeline writing latent…Layers: Layer 03 Evals & Red Teaming as Evidence and Layer 04 Runtime Controls & ObservabilityLayersLayer 03Layer 04Evidence record: the common evidence record (Evidence record v1)Evidence recordEvidence record v1Same topic elsewhere: no crosswalk topicfiles this clause yetAs of 2026-09-24illustrative, not a claim of conformity
From clause to evidence Build the artefact, then file every output it produces as a record that names AIGE-OBL-USCA-SB942. Drawn from chapter 08.
Text alternative
  • Clause: California SB 942, SB 942 as amended….
  • Duty holder: Covered providers of public….
  • Applies from: 2026-08-02, In force.
  • Artefact: Provenance pipeline writing latent….
  • Layers: Layer 03, Layer 04.
  • Evidence record: Evidence record v1.
  • Record schema: Evidence record.
  • No crosswalk topic files this clause yet.
When this obligation applies3 dates of AIGE-OBL-USCA-SB942 on a time axis, against its review date 2026-09-24.2024202620282030As of 2026-09-242026-08-02 · In forceOperative 2026-08-02;platform duties 2027-01-01;capture devices 2028-01-012027-01-01 · Later stepLarge online platform dutiesapply2028-01-01 · Later stepCapture-device duties apply2026-08-02 · In force · Operative 2026-08-02; platform duties 2027-01-01; capture devices 2028-01-012027-01-01 · Later step · Large online platform duties apply2028-01-01 · Later step · Capture-device duties applySource: Obligation register(chapter 08)
When this obligation applies3 dates of AIGE-OBL-USCA-SB942 on a time axis, against its review date 2026-09-24.2026-08-02 · In forceOperative 2026-08-02; platformduties 2027-01-01; capture devices2028-01-012027-01-01 · Later stepLarge online platform duties apply2028-01-01 · Later stepCapture-device duties apply2024202620282030As of 2026-09-242026-08-02 · In force · Operative 2026-08-02; platform duties 2027-01-01; capture devices 2028-01-012027-01-01 · Later step · Large online platform duties apply2028-01-01 · Later step · Capture-device duties applySource: Obligation register (chapter 08)
When this obligation applies The first date in the row's status, then each later step: filled once its date has passed, outlined while it is still ahead of the review date.
Data table: the dates
Dates of AIGE-OBL-USCA-SB942
DateStepDetail
2026-08-02In forceOperative 2026-08-02; platform duties 2027-01-01; capture devices 2028-01-01
2027-01-01Later stepLarge online platform duties apply
2028-01-01Later stepCapture-device duties apply
Id
AIGE-OBL-USCA-SB942
Instrument
California AI Transparency Act (SB 942 as amended by AB 853) law
Clause
SB 942 as amended by AB 853
In scope
Covered providers of public generative AI systems; large online platforms; capture-device makers
Applies from
In force · Operative 2026-08-02; platform duties 2027-01-01; capture devices 2028-01-01
Later dates
  • Large online platform duties apply
  • Capture-device duties apply

The artefact that evidences it

Provenance pipeline writing latent metadata; public detection endpoint; platform-side provenance display.

Patterns that build it

No pattern in the catalogue names this clause on its "Maps to" line yet; the artefact above is the engineering answer.

Source

Chapter 08, section Other state AI laws, checked against its sources on the review date above.

Machine-readable

Cite this obligation

García Aibar, J. (2026). California AI Transparency Act (SB 942 as amended by AB 853) (AIGE-OBL-USCA-SB942). In AI Governance Engineering: The Thesis & Body of Knowledge (v0.5.0). https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.22956197. https://aigovernanceengineer.com/obligations/aige-obl-usca-sb942. CC BY 4.0

BibTeX

@misc{aige2026obligation,
  author       = {Jorge García Aibar},
  title        = {{California AI Transparency Act (SB 942 as amended by AB 853) (AIGE-OBL-USCA-SB942)}},
  howpublished = {In AI Governance Engineering: The Thesis \& Body of Knowledge},
  year         = {2026},
  version      = {0.5.0},
  doi          = {10.5281/zenodo.22956197},
  url          = {https://aigovernanceengineer.com/obligations/aige-obl-usca-sb942},
  note         = {Version 0.5.0}
}