Maryland to Pursue Digital Likeness Rights in AI Framework

Maryland Advances Comprehensive AI Protection Framework

Maryland Governor Wes Moore's administration announced plans Tuesday to establish a right of publicity for residents' digital likenesses, forming a cornerstone of the state's broader artificial intelligence regulatory framework. The initiative addresses a gap in current law, which requires individuals to prove harm occurred before taking action when their likeness is used without permission. No federal right of publicity statute currently exists.

According to The Daily Record, which first reported the details, Moore unveiled the framework during a panel discussion at the Clinton Global Initiative's annual meeting in New York City. The governor emphasized the need to balance technological advancement with core values, stating the administration aims to "stay in front of" AI development while maintaining ethical standards.

Why it matters

Maryland's approach represents one of the more comprehensive state-level responses to AI governance challenges. By combining digital rights protections with worker safeguards and algorithmic accountability measures, the framework addresses concerns that have largely outpaced existing regulations. The right of publicity provision could establish precedent for other states grappling with deepfakes and unauthorized AI-generated content using individuals' likenesses.

Worker Protections and Algorithmic Oversight

The Moore administration's AI subcabinet is developing legislative recommendations for the General Assembly that extend beyond digital likeness rights. Proposed measures include worker protections, safety and testing frameworks, independent third-party audits, and whistleblower protections designed to regulate AI companies operating in the state.

Moore plans to establish a standing labor-management committee that will engage with union officials on AI policy within state government. The administration also intends to work with legislators to regulate AI tools deployed against private sector employees, including social scoring systems, worker organizing surveillance, and technologies that perpetuate systemic bias.

The governor is directing housing, labor, and financial regulators—alongside the Maryland Commission on Civil Rights and multiple state departments—to address discriminatory algorithms and eliminate algorithmic rent collusion practices.

Child Safety and Education Measures

The framework prioritizes protecting Maryland children through collaboration with Attorney General Anthony Brown to strengthen safeguards against addictive social media design. The administration will partner with the General Assembly and State Department of Education to mandate that schools implement policies governing all AI tools with which students interact.

Industry Context

The announcement comes amid growing debate over AI development pace. Dario Amodei, CEO of AI safety company Anthropic, recently advocated for slowing AI advancement in a September essay, citing concerns about AI agents' ability to self-build subsequent generations and potential for causing billions in infrastructure damage. Amodei argued that "fully addressing the risks requires even more prudence" and called for pacing capabilities advancement to allow risk prevention measures to keep up.

The Daily Record first reported the details of Maryland's AI framework and Moore's announcement.