Washington: In a move aimed at safeguarding consumers from voice-cloning scams, the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has implemented a ban on robocalls utilizing voices generated by artificial intelligence (AI).
The decision, reached unanimously on Thursday, categorizes calls employing AI-generated voices as “artificial” under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act, as stated by the FCC.
FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel emphasized the necessity of the ban, citing instances where bad actors have exploited AI-generated voices in unsolicited robocalls to exploit vulnerable individuals, impersonate public figures, and spread misinformation. Rosenworcel stated, “We’re putting the fraudsters behind these robocalls on notice,” adding that state Attorneys General will have enhanced tools to combat such scams and protect the public.
The ban comes in the wake of an ongoing investigation by New Hampshire authorities into AI-generated robocalls that utilized the voice of US President Joe Biden to dissuade individuals from participating in the state’s primary elections.
Highlighting the potential for AI-generated robocalls to disseminate misinformation by impersonating celebrities, political figures, and family members, the FCC emphasized the urgency of addressing this issue.
