FCC Considers Artificial Intelligence Rules for Political Ads

The Federal Communications Commission is taking preliminary steps toward new rules that could require political ads on television and radio to include disclaimers about the use of artificial intelligence.

On Wednesday, FCC Chair Jessica Rosenworcel urged other agency commissioners to support such legislation amid growing concerns that AI-generated deepfakes could disrupt elections.

“As artificial intelligence tools become increasingly available, the Commission wants to ensure that consumers are fully informed about the use of this technology,” Rosenworcel said in a press release. “Today I shared a proposal with my colleagues that makes clear that consumers have the right to know when artificial intelligence tools are used in the political ads they see, and I hope they will act quickly on this issue.”

Wednesday’s proposal aims to kick off a rulemaking process at the FCC that is likely to take months.

The proposal calls for new rules to regulate television and radio providers, as well as cable and satellite providers. Under the proposed rules, political advertisers in these media outlets would have to disclose on-air information if their ads contain AI-generated content. The FCC Act does not regulate online media such as video streaming services or social media.

Under the proposed rule, political advertisers would also have to provide written information in files that broadcasters are required to make publicly available.

The FCC’s move aims to fill an existing gap in the regulation of artificial intelligence in political advertising.

Current U.S. election law prohibits campaigns from “misrepresenting other candidates or political parties,” but it remains an open question whether this prohibition extends to AI-generated content.

Last summer, Republicans on the Federal Election Commission blocked a move that would have made clear that the law covered images created by artificial intelligence; The FEC has since agreed to reopen discussions but has not made a decision on the matter.

Meanwhile, some US lawmakers have proposed legislation that could clamp down on artificial intelligence in elections. In March, a bipartisan proposal by Minnesota Democrat Sen. Amy Klobuchar and Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska introduced the Artificial Intelligence in Elections Transparency Act, which could require liability waivers for artificial intelligence in political ads.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, a Democrat from New York, stressed the urgent need for Congress to create guardrails against artificial intelligence, especially during elections. Last week, he and a bipartisan group of senators released a legislative action plan. However, many political analysts doubt whether Congress can pass significant AI legislation in an election year.

Online platforms like Meta have taken their own steps to include AI in political advertising, requiring campaigns to disclose the use of deepfakes and banning the use of their own generative AI tools in political ads.

The-CNN-Wire