House Bill 1717, authored by Representative Shofner, seeks to amend the Texas Penal Code regarding the prosecution of offenses involving sexually explicit visual material depicting minors by introducing a new definition. The legislation addresses the emerging issue of AI-generated and computer-modified explicit images of children, which are increasingly difficult to differentiate from authentic photographs (Whiting & Dunmoyer, 2024). The bill modifies several sections of the Penal Code to incorporate the new concept of “indistinguishable” imagery into existing statutes.
Technology
The Quantum Frontier: Leading the Next Generation of Computing
Executive Summary The next consequential technology conversation is already here, and this time, it is not about artificial intelligence. Quantum technology is a fundamentally different approach to conventional computing that harnesses the behavior of subatomic particles to solve problems that have been, until now, completely impossible for current computers. The implications run in two directions:...
May 20, 2026