HB 384 creates a grant program administered by the Mississippi Development Authority (MDA) to help public universities establish endowments for hiring professors specializing in quantum computing and artificial intelligence engineering. State institutions of higher learning must apply to the MDA, detailing their endowment plans, matching funds, and requested grant amounts. The bill establishes a dedicated "State Institutions of Higher Learning Quantum Computing and Artificial Intelligence Engineering Professors Fund" in the state treasury, with unspent funds rolling over annually. Grants are disbursed at the MDA's discretion after legislative appropriation, focusing solely on recruiting and employing professors in these two specific fields.
HB 768, the "ELVIS Act," would establish that every individual has the right to control how their name, voice, image, or likeness is used commercially, including protection against unauthorized AI-generated deepfakes. It requires consent for using these elements in advertising, fundraising, or selling products, with specific rules for minors (parental consent) and deceased individuals (heirs' consent for 10 years). Violations could lead to civil lawsuits, misdemeanor penalties (up to 11 months in jail or $3,000 fine), and court orders to seize unauthorized materials like AI-generated content. The bill aims to prevent exploitation of personal identity through AI technology by creating enforceable legal protections.
SB 2642 requires political campaigns and advertisers in Mississippi to disclose when artificial intelligence (AI) generates or significantly alters content in political advertisements. It applies to ads for candidates, offices, or ballot measures that use AI to create images, audio, or video mimicking real people. Advertisers must include clear, conspicuous disclosures - like "This message was generated in whole or in part by artificial intelligence" - in text, audio, or video formats with specific visibility requirements. The bill excludes news broadcasts and paid media platforms from these rules. The bill died in committee on February 4, 2025, and is not currently law.
HB 1489 establishes the Technology Innovation Fund, managed by Mississippi's Department of Information Technology Services, to provide grants for technology projects that improve government services and address community needs. The fund will support state agencies, schools, non-profits, and private companies collaborating on initiatives using AI, cloud computing, blockchain, and data analytics to enhance efficiency, cybersecurity, and equitable technology access. Initial funding includes a $5 million state appropriation and ongoing revenue from 1% of cloud service sales, with projects requiring measurable public benefits and regular progress reporting. Recipients must demonstrate scalability, partnership collaboration, and alignment with state digital modernization goals.
SB 2437, the "Prohibition of Exploitation by Deepfakes Act," would have prohibited platforms from knowingly publishing non-consensual intimate visual depictions (like AI-altered sexual images) of identifiable people without their consent, unless specific exceptions apply. It required covered platforms (like social media sites) to remove such content upon notification from the affected person and establish clear removal processes. The bill clarified that consent for creating an intimate image does not cover its publication, and threatened intentional harm through deepfakes would be punishable. This proposed law died in committee on February 4, 2025, and never became law.
Mississippi's SB 2834 would have prohibited the state's Department of Information Technology Services (MDITS) from entering contracts with business entities primarily engaged in software development or AI research and development located in mainland China or countries sanctioned by the U.S. Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS). The bill amended existing state code to add this restriction to MDITS contracting rules, directly affecting the department and its potential vendors. Key provisions would have blocked contracts with specific foreign entities based on their location and primary business focus. This policy change aimed to limit state IT spending with certain foreign technology providers, though the bill died on calendar in February 2025.
Mississippi's SB 2220, the "Mississippians' Right to Name, Likeness and Voice Act," establishes that every resident (living or deceased) has a property right in their name, likeness, and voice. It requires explicit consent for commercial use of these elements, especially for digital replicas created via AI or digital technology (like voice clones or image simulations), and sets penalties: $50,000 per violation for unauthorized digital cloning services and $5,000 for other unauthorized uses. The law allows heirs to enforce these rights for 10 years after death but requires written consent from individuals aged 18+ (or court-approved for minors) for new commercial uses. This bill directly affects all Mississippi residents and businesses or entities using personal identity commercially, particularly in digital advertising or media.
SB 2202 would criminalize sharing digitally altered or AI-generated images/audio (including deepfakes) depicting someone in intimate situations without their consent, when shared with intent to cause emotional, financial, or physical harm. It directly affects victims of non-consensual image sharing and perpetrators who create or disseminate such content, with penalties ranging from misdemeanors for under-21 offenders to felonies for adults (up to penalties similar to voyeurism laws). Key provisions include defining "digitization" broadly to cover AI tools, requiring intent to cause harm, and listing exceptions for law enforcement, journalism, and public exposure. The bill died in committee on March 4, 2025, and never became law.
SB 2059, the "Artificial Intelligence in Education Task Force Act," proposes establishing a 12-member task force to study AI's potential in Mississippi K-12 education and develop policy recommendations. The task force, appointed by state leaders and including education, tech, ethics, and industry experts, would evaluate AI applications, assess privacy/ethics concerns, and recommend guidelines for student/teacher use, curriculum integration, and data privacy. It would submit interim reports by November 2025 and a final report by December 2025 to state leaders. The bill died in committee on March 4, 2025, and never became law.
SB 2535, the "MS Future Innovators Act," would require all Mississippi public high school students to earn one credit in a computer science course or a career and technical education (CTE) course with embedded computer science before graduation, starting with the 2027-2028 ninth-grade class. The bill mandates that these courses include instruction on emerging technologies like artificial intelligence (AI), covering what AI is, how it works, and its societal impact. It allows these courses to fulfill specific graduation requirements without increasing the total required credits. The bill died in committee on March 4, 2025, and is not currently law.
