Amazon requires sellers to label AI-generated people in images

Amazon has implemented a new policy requiring third-party sellers on its platform to label any product images or videos that include AI-generated people. This move comes in response to a recently passed New York law that mandates disclosure when "synthetic performers" are used in advertisements.

The e-commerce giant informed sellers of the change on Wednesday. The updated policy directs sellers to tag images and "A+ content" — which includes videos and other graphics on listing pages — with specific metadata before uploading. "Recent legislation requires disclosure when images or videos in advertisements contain photorealistic AI-generated people," Amazon stated in its announcement.

The New York law, effective last month, requires companies to disclose if "synthetic performers" are used in place of human actors in advertising. Governor Kathy Hochul described the legislation as a "first-in-the-nation" law, aimed at ensuring the public can distinguish between real and AI-generated content.

Amazon clarified that the labeling requirement does not apply to content featuring TV, video game, or movie characters, nor to real people even if they have been modified by AI. The company will add an indicator to listings where applicable, informing consumers about the presence of AI-generated individuals. The exact criteria Amazon will use to determine when to display this label to shoppers remain unclear.

The use of AI in content creation for e-commerce is growing, with other platforms like Meta, TikTok, and Google's YouTube already implementing labels for AI-generated content. While no federal law exists in the U.S. requiring such disclosures, some states, including California, have begun introducing their own regulations.