Allegheny County Council members introduced legislation this week that would force political candidates to slap a conspicuous label on any campaign image or video generated by artificial intelligence. The measure, formally brought forward at the council's Tuesday meeting, comes as AI-generated photos, audio and video look increasingly like the real thing, raising fears that voters could be fooled without even realizing it.
Council members Dan Grzybek and Alex Rose are the driving forces behind the bill, which as reported by WPXI would require a clear disclosure whenever election content is made using artificial intelligence. Rose said voters should know whether they're seeing a real picture or an AI-generated one, according to the station's report. The proposal is formally known as File No. 14050-26.
The bill was formally introduced on Tuesday, per the same outlet. If it clears the council and becomes law, the disclosure rules wouldn't kick in until January 2027 — timing that would put them in place just as Allegheny County heads into a busy municipal election cycle covering races for County Executive, County Council and District Attorney.
Cartoons and Obvious Satire Get a Pass
Grzybek has said regulating obvious caricature could run afoul of constitutionally protected political speech, according to the outlet.
Grzybek and Rose are sponsoring the bill together, per TribLIVE's reporting. The budget-cap question was pulled from the ballot back in July, as described in coverage of the move.
Part of a Broader Push in Harrisburg
The county-level effort tracks closely with what's already happening at the state level. Pennsylvania State Senator Lindsey Williams, who represents Allegheny County, introduced Senate Bill 1332 in March 2026 to require statewide political ads to disclose whether generative AI was used in making them, according to a statement from Williams' office. The proposal addresses disclosure of generative AI use in statewide political ads.
Williams' office also points to research underscoring why lawmakers are moving on this now. A 2025 study by the American Association of Political Consultants found that a clear majority of professional political consultants and ad-makers use AI tools daily, per Williams' office, while a 2024 Harvard University study found that synthetic AI-generated images were among the most viral and engaging posts on Facebook, with many users unable to tell they weren't real.
The Pennsylvania House of Representatives has already acted on a related front. Lawmakers there unanimously approved House Bill 811 in June 2025, a bipartisan measure creating civil liability for campaign ads that broadcast unauthorized AI deepfake impersonations of candidates, according to the Pennsylvania House Democratic Caucus. That bill passed 203-0 before heading to the state Senate's Communications and Technology Committee.
Part of a Nationwide Trend
Part of a Nationwide Trend Allegheny County's proposal fits into a much larger pattern playing out across the country. The national debate includes questions about disclosures and restrictions on campaign deepfakes.
Pennsylvania has also faced questions about other harmful uses of the technology. AI-generated intimate deepfakes are another harmful use of the technology, and restrictions on explicit deepfake content have drawn attention alongside political-advertising rules.
For now, the Allegheny County proposal sits with the council's Committee on Government Reform, where it will be reviewed before any vote on final passage. AI technology has introduced new challenges to election systems, and county lawmakers argue that AI content must be clearly identified so voters can make fully informed decisions at the ballot box before the 2027 municipal races arrive.
