The FCC may require political ads to disclose AI-generated content

The FCC is considering a new rule that would require disclosure of the use of artificial intelligence in political ads, without the agency banning AI-generated content.

FCC Chair Jessica Rosenworcel on Wednesday announced a new agency proposal that, if adopted, would address whether broadcast radio and television broadcasters, cable operators and satellite providers should be required to disclose whether candidate bids or topics include content generated by artificial intelligence. political ads.

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

Last year, the Republican National Committee released an AI-generated attack ad depicting a dystopian future if President Biden is re-elected in 2024, featuring realistic-looking images of boarded-up storefronts, military patrols on the streets and waves of immigrants causing panic. The RNC ad included a message that read: “An AI-generated look at the country’s possible future if Joe Biden is re-elected in 2024.”

Concerns about the use of artificial intelligence specifically to spread political disinformation go back years. In 2018, director Jordan Peele produced a video for BuzzFeed that put Peele’s words into the mouth of former President Barack Obama, with the goal of raising awareness of deepfakes.

As noted by the AP, earlier this year the FCC ruled that existing law prohibits AI voice cloning tools in robocalls. This came after a Democratic political consultant who said he wanted to draw attention to the issue of AI-generated political follies used a fake AI voice imitating President Biden to trick Democrats not to vote in the New Hampshire primary.

The FCC’s proposal seeks comment on whether to require on-air disclosure and written disclosure in broadcasters’ political files when political advertising includes AI-generated content, as well as comment on the “specific definition of AI-generated content.”

Advocacy groups, including Common Cause, have expressed support for the FCC’s proposal.

“This rulemaking is good news because the use of deceptive AI and deepfakes threatens our democracy and is already being used to undermine trust in our institutions and our elections,” Common’s director of media and democracy agenda said in a statement Cause Ishan Mehta. “We saw the impact of AI on politics in the form of mainstream ads using AI voices and images and robocalls during the New Hampshire primary.”

Mehta added: “We call on Congress and other agencies like the Federal Election Commission to follow the FCC’s lead and take proactive steps to protect our democracy from the very serious threat posed by artificial intelligence.”

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