In addition to the FCC's efforts, lawmakers are also addressing the issue. House Representative Frank Pallone Jr. introduced a bill, the Do Not Disturb Act, which would require telemarketers to disclose if AI has been used to automatically craft a message used in a text message or phone call. The draft legislation aims to close loopholes and expand robocall rules to cover text messages and the use of AI. The FCC's ideas have gained support from government officials across the US, with 25 attorneys general signing a letter stating that AI-generated voices should be classified as artificial voices, thus already protected against under the TCPA.
Key takeaways:
- The FCC is looking to make AI-powered robocalls illegal due to a rise in scams from voice-cloning technology.
- Current laws require telemarketers to have explicit consent from consumers before they can make automated calls using an artificial or prerecorded voice, and the FCC believes the same rules should apply for AI-generated robo-calls.
- House Rep Frank Pallone, Jr (D-NJ) introduced a bill, the Do Not Disturb Act, that would require telemarketers to disclose whether AI has been used to automatically craft a message used in a text message or phone call.
- Government officials across the US support the FCC's ideas, with 25 attorneys general signing a letter stating that AI-generated voices should be classified as artificial voices, meaning that the TCPA should already protect against robocall scams made using voice cloning technologies.