Another One Bites the Dust in Montgomery

Ever watch the good guys lose for absolutely no reason? That's how it feels right now, watching House Bill 347 – a simple bill meant to protect Alabama families – go down in flames in Montgomery. And sadly, the real losers here are everyday Alabamians, especially women and kids, who can have their images stolen and twisted against them right now, with zero real protection under our state laws.

What HB347 Was All About

Let's break down what HB347 would have done, because it's important. Right now, tech companies get a free pass when their platforms are used to create or spread what's called "private images" – think non-consensual intimate stuff, including AI-generated fake images. That used to make sense when platforms were just passive bystanders, but that's not the case anymore.

xAI and the Problem with Grok

Take xAI's Grok, for example. It's already been caught spitting out illegal images of women and minors, and on a massive scale. In just nine days this year, it posted over 4 million images, with over 40% being sexualized images of women.

HB347 would have changed that. It would have held companies like xAI responsible when they deliberately design and profit from tools that are obviously going to be used to sexually exploit real people. That's just common sense protection for Alabama families.

Giving Victims a Fighting Chance

The bill also would have forced platforms to create an easy-to-use process for victims to report and remove this stuff – and to actually act on those requests within 72 hours. That speed matters. Grok, for example, has basically dismantled its safety and moderation systems, leaving victims nowhere to turn. Other platforms are failing too, which is why Alabama can't afford to leave these protections off the books.

The AI Threat is Real

AI tools that can turn ordinary photos into non-consensual sexual images are already here, already accessible, and already being used by millions. Alabama had a bill on the table that addressed the biggest problems with this technology, carefully written to avoid legal challenges, and supported by a bipartisan group of lawmakers.

A Disappointment

We know politics is messy. There are always competing interests, priorities, and limited time. But how protecting Alabama women and children from AI-generated sexual exploitation didn't make the cut? That's hard to swallow.

AI is moving faster than anything we've ever seen, and the decisions we make now will shape its future. That's a conversation we need to have. But if Alabama can't even pass a bill to protect its own citizens from AI-generated child sexual abuse material – if that's considered too complicated or not the right time – then we need to be honest with ourselves about whether we're ready for what's coming.

State Rep. Ben Harrison, Lauderdale County