The Facts
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) on Thursday ruled that robocalls using voice-cloning technology are now illegal, effective immediately. The decision comes as the use of artificial intelligence (AI) to clone people's voices, particularly famous people and politicians, continues to rise.
The unanimous ruling cracks down on AI-generated voice cloning using the Telephone Consumer Protection Act of 1991, which restricts junk calls that use artificial and prerecorded voice messages. Under the new guidelines, the FCC has the power to fine companies that use AI voices in their calls or block the service providers that carry them.
The Spin
Narrative A
The FCC has taken staunch and swift action against AI robocalls in a move that goes a long way in protecting election integrity. The rise of AI has fueled deceptive deep-fake videos of politicians, and just weeks ago, the technology was used to interfere with New Hampshire's Democratic Primary. By clarifying and expanding on existing laws, the FCC is making it clear that bad actors will not be allowed to use novel technology to subvert democracy.
Narrative B
The threat AI poses to democracy is real and imminent, and Thursday's ruling from the FCC may not be enough to prevent AI-generated disinformation from impacting elections. As AI becomes more developed, videos and calls imitating politicians can become more convincing and powerful. Cracking down on robocalls was definitely a must-do, but the FCC needs to implement more robust laws that target all different forms of AI-generated misinformation. If more robust regulation doesn't go further soon, faith in democracy could continue to erode.
