Washington, D.C. – 01/02/2024 – (EMWNews) Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chair Jessica Rosenworcel is spearheading a proposal to categorize AI-generated robocalls using cloned voices of celebrities and recipients’ family members as illegal under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA).
The FCC initiated a notice of inquiry in November to gather insights on combatting illegal robocalls and regulating calls employing artificial intelligence-generated voices. Chair Rosenworcel is now urging the commission to take a definitive stance by classifying AI voice-generated robocalls as illegal under the TCPA, which governs telemarketing and robocalls.
In her proposal, Rosenworcel advocates labeling AI-generated voices as “artificial,” thereby rendering them illegal under the TCPA’s provisions. The TCPA not only restricts telemarketing calls and the use of automatic telephone dialing systems but also places limitations on artificial or prerecorded voice messages.
Chair Rosenworcel emphasized the growing confusion caused by AI-generated voice cloning and images, leading consumers to mistake scams and frauds for legitimate communications. In a statement on Wednesday, she remarked, “No matter what celebrity or politician you favor, or what your relationship is with your kin when they call for help, it is possible we could all be a target of these faked calls.”
This initiative follows a joint effort by the attorneys general of 25 states and the District of Columbia, led by Pennsylvania Attorney General Michelle Henry, who advocated in a letter to the FCC that unsolicited marketing calls utilizing AI-generated voices should be deemed illegal under the TCPA.
Attorney General Henry expressed support for the regulation of AI in robocalls to protect consumers from deceptive marketing tactics. “We commend Chairwoman Rosenworcel for considering our input and taking this timely action to ensure consumers have the ability to provide prior written consent before receiving calls with A.I. technology serving as a live agent,” said Henry.
Under FCC rules, the TCPA mandates that telemarketers obtain express permission from consumers before making robocalls, and companies must honor requests to be placed on “do not call” lists.
Industry stakeholders have voiced their opinions as well. USTelecom – The Broadband Association urged the FCC to issue clear guidance confirming that calls featuring AI-generated voices fall under the TCPA’s purview, while Microsoft suggested an approach that “eases the path” for the use of AI in identifying fraudulent calls and alerting consumers.
The FCC’s move addresses the concerning rise of AI-generated voice-based scams, including instances where scammers mimic family members or associates to request money. The commission’s decision is expected to empower state attorneys general to combat these nefarious robocalls and hold bad actors accountable under the law.
