Hawaii

AI Policy Overview

Hawaii lawmakers have yet to prioritize artificial intelligence policies broadly. However, in 2021 lawmakers enacted a law making it a criminal offense to disclose, or threaten to disclose, a deepfake image of an individual that is nude or engaged in sexual conduct. In 2024, lawmakers enacted a political deepfake law. 

In 2024, Hawaii enacted a law (HI SB 2284) establishing a two-year program at the University of Hawaii to develop a wildfire forecast system for the state using artificial intelligence.

Deepfakes

Hawaii enacted a law (HI SB 309) in 2021 that applies a criminal offense of violation of privacy when a "person intentionally creates or discloses or threatens to disclose an image or video of a composite fictitious person depicted in the nude, or engaged in sexual conduct, that includes the recognizable physical characteristics of a known person so that the image or video appears to depict the known person and not a composite fictitious person, with intent to substantially harm the depicted person with respect to that person's health, safety, business, calling, career, education, financial condition, reputation, or personal relationships, or as an act of revenge or retribution."

In 2024, Hawaii enacted a political deepfake law (HI SB 2687), which prohibits a person from distributing materially deceptive deepfake media from February 1 through an election unless the media contains a disclaimer. The law provides civil penalties for violations.

Legislative & Regulatory History

  • 2024 - Hawaii enacted HI SB 2284, which establishes a two-year program at the University of Hawaii to develop a wildfire forecast system for the state using AI.

  • 2024 - Hawaii enacted HI SB 2687, which prohibits a person from distributing materially deceptive deepfake media from February 1 through an election unless the media contains a disclaimer.

  • 2021 - Hawaii enacted HI SB 309, which makes it a crime to intentionally create or disclose a deepfake depicting a real person who is nude or engaged in sexual conduct.