In an announcement on January 31, Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel proposed considering the illegality of artificial intelligence (AI)-generated voice calls, subjecting them to regulations and penalties outlined in the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA). This proposal comes in the wake of the use of AI to create a false message imitating the voice of U.S. President Joe Biden, wherein New Hampshire residents were advised not to vote in the state's primary. The automated messages, featuring Biden's voice, were intended to interfere with the 2024 presidential election, but the state attorney general's office condemned the calls as misinformation. Rosenworcel's proposal aims to prohibit robocalls under the TCPA, a 1991 law regulating automated political and marketing calls made without the recipient's consent, primarily aiming to protect consumers from intrusive communications.
The proliferation of such calls in recent years, utilizing technology to mimic the voices of celebrities, politicians, and even family members, has prompted the FCC to address the issue. The proposal seeks to provide additional resources to attorneys general across the country, empowering them to pursue those responsible for malicious robocalls and enforce legal consequences. In November 2023, the FCC initiated a Notice of Investigation to gather information on illegal robocalls and the potential involvement of artificial intelligence. The agency sought insights on whether AI should be regulated by the TCPA and how it can be proactively used to identify and prevent illegal robocalls.
Three months after President Biden issued an executive order on artificial intelligence, the White House released a fact sheet on January 29 outlining key actions on AI. The fact sheet highlighted "substantial progress" toward the president's directive to "protect Americans from the potential risks of artificial intelligence systems." The increased prevalence of deepfakes, including concerns about AI-generated content, has been noted globally, with the World Economic Forum emphasizing the adverse consequences of AI technology in its 19th Global Risks Report. Additionally, Canada's main national intelligence agency, the Canadian Security Intelligence Service, has expressed concerns about disinformation campaigns employing AI deepfakes on the internet. In the U.S., lawmakers are pushing for legislation criminalizing the creation of deepfake images, particularly after explicit fake photos of Taylor Swift gained widespread attention.
