Arizona
Arizona lawmakers look to crack down on people abusing AI with new bill
PHOENIX (3TV/CBS 5) — We’re seeing more deep fake images and recordings created with artificial intelligence and now Arizona lawmakers want to regulate it.
Among the challenges they’re creating is answering the question, are they protected by free speech? Civil rights activists say they should be as state lawmakers try to crack down on people abusing artificial intelligence technology to trick you. With the 2024 elections kicking off, Arizona legislators are turning their attention to AI technology that can pose problems for political campaigns and target the general public with scams.
From pop stars to presidents, artificial intelligence can target anyone. Just last month, Taylor Swift was victimized by a series of graphic AI-generated images. And a “deep fake” robocall of Joe Biden discouraged voters in the New Hampshire primary.
Senate Bill 1336 would make it a felony to spread deep fake recordings and images without consent. The crime would carry up to two-and-a-half years in prison. But civil rights activists warn regulating AI is not as simple as passing a law like this. “AI-generated speech, like any speech, is protected by the First Amendment,” said Darrell Hill, the policy director for the ACLU of Arizona.
He said there are ways to regulate deep fakes without violating free speech. For example, prosecutors can use the laws already on the books if they can prove the technology is used in a crime. “For instance, preventing the use of fraud or preventing the use of defamation, we wouldn’t want a deep fake out there that gave voters the wrong information about the election or election administration. But at the same time, we must protect the right of voters and the public to make parodies or do any sort of political speech when it comes to matters of public concern,” Hill said.
The rise of “deep fake” technology has lawmakers scrambling across the country. According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, 31 states introduced legislation last year to address AI. “In general, the law is trying to catch up with it. There are bills coming up for discussion, but also, courts are completely lost on how to treat these issues. It’s a very interesting time,” said Subbarao Kambhampati, a professor at ASU’s School of Computing and Augmented Intelligence.
He said the use and abuse of AI deep fakes is growing and is now used in everything from petty scams to politics. He gave a sobering warning. “The days of trusting what you see nad what you hear are basically over,” Kambhamati said.
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PAGE, AZ (AZFamily) — A person accused of making terroristic threats toward a northern Arizona medical facility was arrested Friday morning.
Just after 10:30 p.m., police received a report of a person calling the facility and threatening to kill staff and Native Americans, according to the Page Police Department.
Authorities said staff placed the facility on lockdown until officers identified the suspect and arrested them outside their home.
The suspect was booked on charges of disorderly conduct, threatening and intimidating, and making terroristic threats. Police have not publicly identified the person.
“The Page Police Department is grateful for and supports the medical staff’s decision to put the medical facility into lockdown until the suspect was arrested and the situation was rendered safe,” the department said in a Facebook post.
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In these four-round projections, the Arizona Cardinals don’t get a tackle until the fourth round.
We are just days away from the 2026 NFL draft, and that means some final mock drafts. What direction will the draft take the Arizona Cardinals?
Draft Wire’s Curt Popejoy put together a four-round mock draft for the Cardinals. They go defense early but rebuild the offense for 2026 and moving forward, including landing their potential franchise quarterback.
Cardinals 4-round mock draft
Here are the players in the first four rounds Popejoy projects for Arizona.
- Round 1: Ohio State EDGE/LB Arvell Reese
- Round 2: Alabama QB Ty Simpson
- Round 3: Clemson WR Antonio Williams
- Round 4: Florida OT Austin Barber
What we think of the picks
The Cardinals want to trade out of the third pick and draft a tackle, so not getting a tackle until Round 4 seems unlikely, although they did meet with Barber. They do have options at right tackle for 2026 already on the roster.
Reese would be a great pick if they don’t trade back, as they badly need pass-rushing help off the edge.
Drafting Simpson seems inevitable at this point, so it has to be in a mock draft, although the feeling is they will need to go up into Round 1 again to get him.
Williams has speed and is almost six feet tall, but he does have short arms.
Get more Cardinals and NFL coverage from Cards Wire’s Jess Root and others by listening to the latest on the Rise Up, See Red podcast. Subscribe on Spotify, YouTube or Apple podcasts.
Due to significant injuries to the CB position last year which includes a shoulder surgery for Terrion Arnold, the Lions CB position scored a 6/10 need on my Lions Defensive Draft Need Rankings. Thus, an early-round selection of a young, healthy prospect like Keith Abney would not come as a surprise. He enters the draft with very low medical concern level.
Here is the excerpt from my medical report on Keith Abney:
(Ages in parentheses are at start of 2026 season and are factored into the concern level. Injury info and ages based on available public information are unverified and subject to update. Games played data courtesy of sports-reference.com.)
Keith Abney, CB (21) – Arizona State
Projected round 2-3. #43 on Jeff Risdon board Feb 19.
Concern level 0/10
There is an isolated report of a hand injury but no corroborating information. Even if the hand injury is true, that’s of minimal to no long-term concern.
His availability in his final two seasons has been perfect. Overall, Abney appears to be medically clean and is at an excellent age.
He finished college with 6 INT and 21 PBU.
For more Lions coverage, follow us on X, @TheLionsWire, and give our Facebook page a like. Follow Jimmy on X, @JimmyLiaoMD
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