Last Thursday, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) made a significant ruling, banning robocalls featuring voices generated by artificial intelligence (AI). This decision firmly communicates that the misuse of this technology for scamming individuals or deceiving voters will not be permitted.
The unanimous ruling specifically addresses robocalls made using AI voice-cloning tools under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act. This 1991 law aims to curb unsolicited calls that utilize artificial and prerecorded voice messages.
The announcement coincides with New Hampshire authorities’ progress in their investigation into AI-generated robocalls. These calls mimicked President Joe Biden’s voice in an attempt to dissuade people from voting in the state’s first-in-the-nation primary last month.
The regulation, taking effect immediately, grants the FCC the authority to impose fines on companies employing AI voices in their calls or to block the service providers facilitating them. Additionally, it allows call recipients to file lawsuits and provides state attorneys general with a new means to crackdown on violators, as stated by the FCC.
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“Bad actors are utilizing AI-generated voices in unwanted robocalls to exploit vulnerable family members, impersonate celebrities, and mislead voters,” stated the agency’s chairwoman, Jessica Rosenworcel, in a news release. “We’re alerting the perpetrators behind these robocalls that their actions won’t go unchecked.”
According to the consumer protection law, telemarketers typically cannot employ automated dialers or artificial or prerecorded voice messages to contact cellphones. Additionally, they cannot make such calls to landlines without obtaining prior written consent from the call recipient.
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The new ruling categorizes AI-generated voices in robocalls as “artificial,” thereby subjecting them to the same regulatory standards, according to the FCC. Violators of the law can incur substantial fines, reaching over $23,000 per call, as stated by the FCC.
The agency has previously utilized consumer protection laws to crack down on robocallers who interfere in elections. This included imposing a $5 million fine on two conservative hoaxers for falsely warning individuals in predominantly Black areas that voting by mail could increase their risk of arrest, debt collection, and forced vaccination.
The law also grants call recipients the ability to pursue legal action and potentially receive up to $1,500 in damages for each unsolicited call. Rosenworcel noted that the commission initiated the process of outlawing robocalls featuring AI-generated voices due to a surge in such calls.
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The FCC sought public input on the matter in November, and in January, a bipartisan coalition of 26 state attorneys general urged the FCC to proceed with the ruling.
“Audio recordings that employ AI to convincingly mimic individuals may seem like something from the distant future, but this threat is already present,” Rosenworcel informed The Associated Press. “All of us could potentially fall victim to these fabricated calls, which is why we believed it was imperative to take action now.”
Sophisticated generative AI tools, ranging from voice-cloning software to image generators, are already being utilized in elections across the United States and around the globe.
During last year’s U.S. presidential race, several campaign advertisements incorporated AI-generated audio or imagery. Some candidates even experimented with using AI chatbots to engage with voters.
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