Oklahoma’s AI Regulation Gap: Why the Governor Is Threatening a Special Session Over Political Deepfakes

Oklahoma’s legislature wrapped up its session without passing a single meaningful law governing generative AI — and now the state’s governor is considering an unusual emergency response.

Governor Kevin Stitt has threatened to call a special legislative session after lawmakers failed to regulate AI-generated content in political campaigns. The catalyst: a deceptive AI-generated political ad depicting Republican gubernatorial candidate Mike Mazzei hugging Hillary Clinton. Stitt called the tactic “dishonest, swamp-style politics” and posted on X that if such tactics continue, he would “seriously consider calling a special session to outlaw deceptive AI-generated political content.”

What Lawmakers Tried — and Failed — to Pass

Several AI-related bills were introduced this session but never made it to the governor’s desk:

• HB3299 (Rep. Neil Hays): Would have criminalized creating AI-generated content using someone’s likeness without permission. Hays plans to reintroduce it next session.
• HB3546 (Rep. Cody Maynard): Would have prevented AI from achieving legal personhood status in Oklahoma. Passed the House but failed in the Senate.
• HB3544 (Rep. Maynard): Would have regulated how AI chatbots interact with minors. Also stalled in the Senate.

Key Takeaways

• Generative AI regulation remains a patchwork at the state level — Oklahoma is far from alone in this gap, but the political ad controversy makes the failure especially visible.
• The “it won’t happen to me” dynamic is shifting — legislators who got personally targeted by AI-generated content may now be more motivated to act.
• A special session would be unusual — and would signal growing urgency around AI governance in state politics.

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