A group of bipartisan lawmakers is set to present a bill on Tuesday that would prevent political campaigns and outside political organizations from utilizing artificial intelligence to deceive voters by impersonating their opponents. This move comes as concerns mount over the potential for misinformation overload due to the rapidly advancing technology. The bill aims to empower the Federal Election Commission (FEC) to regulate the use of AI in elections similar to how it governs other forms of political deception.
Representative Brian Fitzpatrick, a Republican from Pennsylvania, and his counterparts like Rep. Adam Schiff from California and others are co-sponsoring the legislation. Despite acknowledging the challenges in passing the bill this year, they believe it has good prospects and could potentially be appended to a crucial legislative measure in the coming days of the congressional session.
The proposed legislation is viewed as a modest initial step in combating the risks posed by deepfakes and other fabricated AI-generated content. Congressman Schiff highlighted the importance of addressing the abuse of AI in politics and emphasized the need for further actions to combat the proliferation of misinformation and disinformation. However, the regulation of AI has been stalled in Congress due to various factors, including concerns about hindering technological innovation and potential geopolitical implications.
While the FEC has taken initial steps towards regulating AI-generated deepfakes in political advertisements, questions remain regarding the application of existing laws to combat fraudulent misrepresentation in campaign communications. Proposed legislation seeks to address this gap by widening the FEC’s authority to effectively address the misuse of generative AI in political messaging. Support for such measures exists across party lines, although some have cautioned against stifling technological progress.
Efforts to regulate AI in politics are gaining momentum, as lawmakers and advocacy groups stress the importance of establishing clear guidelines to tackle the spread of deceptive content. While some states have enacted laws to govern deepfakes, federal intervention is deemed necessary to provide the FEC with explicit jurisdiction in this realm. The bill being put forward signifies a critical endeavor to counter the threats posed by the misuse of AI technology in political campaigns.
