FCC Targets AI Voice Calls in Robocall Crackdown

FCC Chairwoman proposed classifying AI-generated voices in calls as illegal, aligning with the TCPA to combat abusive robocalls.

On January 31, Jessica Rosenworcel, Chairwoman of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) of the United States proposed considering calls featuring voices generated by artificial intelligence (AI) as illegal.

This would make them subject to the regulations and penalties outlined in the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA). This news comes after a bogus message that utilized artificial intelligence to replicate the voice of President Joe Biden of the United States of America and advised people in New Hampshire not to vote in the primary election for the state.

The office of the state’s attorney general condemned the automated messages featuring Biden’s voice for interfering in the presidential election of 2024 and being contaminated with false material.

Rosenworcel’s proposal, seeking to restrict robocalls, aligns with the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) passed in 1991, which regulates automated political and marketing calls made without the consent of the recipient.

The Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) protects consumers from unwanted and intrusive communications, such as unsolicited telemarketing calls and automated messaging, which is the law’s primary aim.

In recent years, there has been a significant rise in the number of calls of this nature. This is because technology has evolved to the point where it can now imitate the voices of celebrities, political figures, and even family members.

The FCC will implement this proposal, providing state attorneys general around the country with greater resources to pursue and hold accountable those responsible for these abusive robocalls.

The FCC issued a Notice of Inquiry in November 2023 to gather evidence regarding the issue of illegal robocalls and the possible involvement of artificial intelligence (AI).

FCC investigated whether artificial intelligence, including its ability to imitate familiar voices, should be regulated under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) to address its role in fraud.

The FCC aimed to gain insights into favorable applications of artificial intelligence (AI), such as the identification and blocking of illegal robocalls.

On January 29, three months after President Biden issued an executive order regarding artificial intelligence, the White House issued a fact sheet that detailed its most important activities with AI.

The fact sheet states that substantial progress has been made towards fulfilling the president’s mandate to protect Americans from the potential risks of artificial intelligence systems.

In its 19th Global Risks Report, the World Economic Forum highlighted the negative outcomes of artificial intelligence technology.

Content generated by artificial intelligence has raised increased concerns due to the emergence of deepfakes. Concerns have also been raised by the Canadian Security Intelligence Service, which is the principal national intelligence agency in Canada.

The Canadian Security Intelligence Service has made inquiries regarding the disinformation campaigns carried out on the internet using artificial intelligence deepfakes.

As a result of the widespread dissemination of fake sexual photos of Taylor Swift, lawmakers in the United States have advocated for the passage of legislation that would make the manufacture of deep-fake images a criminal offense.