FCC Bans Use of AI-Generated Voices on Robocalls

The Federal Communications Commission has banned the use of robocalls using artificial intelligence-generated voices.

On Thursday, the commission issued a declaratory ruling making the use of AI-generated voices or audio deepfakes in robocalls illegal. The ruling is the signal for state attorney generals to go after organizations using voice-cloning technologies to scam Americans.

The ruling comes after reports surfaced of a Texas-linked robocalling operation using President Joe Biden’s voice, urging Democrats to “save” their votes for November. It comes as experts raised concerns over how AI tools might be used to spread election misinformation and disinformation in the November 2024 and other future elections, Nextgov/FCW reported.

The FCC has been involved in various efforts aimed at combating audio deepfakes. In November 2023, Chairperson Jessica Rosenworcel launched an inquiry to better understand the impact of the emerging technology on robocalls and robotexts.

To address the threat posed by deepfakes, the commission launched the Voice Cloning Challenge, aiming to have interested parties develop solutions to combat the fraudulent use of AI-enabled voices.