Arizona is making national waves with a groundbreaking bill aimed at tackling the growing threat of AI-generated child exploitation. House Bill 2678 (HB2678), championed by Representative Julie Willoughby, is designed to modernize state laws by closing loopholes that fail to address artificial intelligence-generated and digitally manipulated explicit images of minors.
What makes this even more significant? HB2678 passed both the Arizona House and Senate with strong bipartisan support and is now awaiting the Governor’s signature. If signed into law, Arizona will be at the forefront of protecting children from new and evolving dangers brought on by rapidly advancing technology.
Ahead of the Curve
Representative Willoughby had her sights set on this issue long before it became a national talking point. Even before First Lady Melania Trump launched her Take It Down Act at the federal level, Willoughby was already working to ensure Arizona law accounted for AI-generated exploitative content. Just recently, President Trump highlighted the First Lady’s initiative during his address to Congress—showing just how urgent and relevant this issue has become.
“The rise of AI-generated content poses serious risks that didn’t exist just a few years ago,” said Representative Willoughby. “Our laws must keep up with technology, and Arizona has a real opportunity to lead the way in protecting children from exploitation in all forms.”
What HB2678 Does
Arizona’s current laws already criminalize child exploitation, but they don’t explicitly cover AI-generated or digitally manipulated images that depict minors in illegal ways. HB2678 fixes that by ensuring that any visual depiction that is “indistinguishable” from an actual minor is treated as illegal material under state law.
What’s Next?
With HB2678 now sitting on the Governor’s desk, child protection advocates and lawmakers alike are urging a swift signature to make it official. If signed into law, Arizona will set a powerful example for other states looking to strengthen their protections against AI-driven exploitation.
“With momentum building at both the state and federal levels, we have a real chance to make lasting change and set a national standard,” Willoughby added. “Arizona has always been a leader on tough issues, and this is no exception.”
With bipartisan support, national attention, and a clear path forward, Arizona is proving once again that it is ready to tackle the challenges of the future—today.
“This is about protecting our kids in a world where technology is advancing faster than our laws. Arizona has the chance to be a leader in making sure AI is not used to exploit the most vulnerable among us. This bill is a step toward ensuring that no child is ever harmed. I’m hopeful that we’ll see it cross the finish line because doing the right thing should never be a question,” concluded Willoughby.