The Startup Guide to California's AI Transparency Act (SB 942)
Building a bot with 1M+ users? You owe the public a free detection tool. 🛠️
The Threshold
SB 942 applies to "covered providers." This is defined as a person or entity that provides a generative AI system with over 1 million monthly active users (on average).
If you are a small B2B startup, you are likely exempt for now. But if you are a consumer app that goes viral, you need to be ready.
The Requirement
If you hit the threshold, you must provide a free AI detection tool.
- Function: It must allow a user to upload content (text, image, video, audio) and tell them if it was created by your system.
- Access: It must be publicly accessible and available via API.
- Cost: It must be free.
Why This Matters
This is an anti-disinformation measure. If your tool is used to create deepfakes or spam, the public needs a way to verify the source.
Conclusion
Scale brings responsibility. If you plan to grow, plan your detection infrastructure. You don't want to be scrambling to build this tool the month you hit 1M users.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Does the tool need to detect OTHER AI models?
No. You are only responsible for detecting content created by your system.
How accurate does it need to be?
The law doesn't specify an accuracy percentage, but it implies it should be effective. If your tool says "I don't know" to everything, you are likely non-compliant.
What if I use open-source models?
If you modify and host the model, you are the provider. You are responsible for the output generated on your platform.