The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has taken a decisive step to curb the growing threat of scam robocalls by prohibiting the use of artificial intelligence (AI)-generated voices in these automated calls. This ruling, effective immediately, aims to combat the increasingly sophisticated tactics employed by scammers who leverage AI to impersonate real people and bypass traditional call detection measures.
Prior to this ruling, the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) already prohibited prerecorded voices in robocalls. However, the rise of AI-powered voice cloning technology allowed scammers to bypass this restriction, creating highly realistic voices that could impersonate anyone from celebrities to family members. These tactics have been used to perpetrate a variety of scams, including financial fraud, identity theft, and voter misinformation.
The FCC’s new ruling clarifies that AI-generated voices fall under the TCPA’s definition of “artificial voice,” making them illegal in robocalls without prior express consent from the recipient. This provides law enforcement with a clearer legal framework to pursue individuals and companies using these tactics.
Key takeaways:
- The FCC unanimously declared AI-generated voices “artificial” under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) of 1991, which already prohibits robocalls using prerecorded messages.
- This ruling empowers state attorneys general with additional legal tools to prosecute individuals and entities utilizing AI voices for fraudulent purposes.
- Violators face potential fines from the FCC and could be blocked by service providers.
- The move comes in response to a surge in robocalls that mimic the voices of celebrities, political figures, and even close family members.
- FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel emphasized the need to protect vulnerable individuals from extortion and misinformation.
Why the Ban?
The FCC cited the rising prevalence of AI-powered robocalls as a primary reason for the ban. These calls, often indistinguishable from genuine human interactions, have been used to perpetrate various scams, including financial fraud, identity theft, and voter misinformation. In recent instances, AI voices were used to impersonate celebrities, political figures, and even family members, making it difficult for recipients to discern legitimacy.
For example, recently in New Hampshire, voters received robocalls impersonating US President Joe Biden ahead of the state’s presidential primary. These calls urged voters not to cast ballots, potentially influencing election outcomes.
An estimated 5,000 to 25,000 such calls were placed, prompting a criminal investigation. The FCC recognizes that these calls can confuse consumers by imitating public figures and close relatives.
In October, Biden signed an executive order calling for stricter regulations around AI, focusing on security, fairness, and its impact on the workforce. Notably, the order recommends developing tools that can easily identify content generated by AI, such as deepfakes.
The 80-year-old Democrat had, on this occasion, mentioned having seen a video of him created from scratch with deepfake AI.
“I asked myself when could I have said that?” Joe Biden said, getting emotional about the use of AI to scam people by posing as members of their family.
Impact of the Ruling:
The ban applies to all robocalls, regardless of the purpose, as long as they utilize AI-generated voices. This includes calls from businesses, political campaigns, and even debt collectors. However, exceptions exist for calls with prior express consent from the recipient.
The FCC expects this ruling to empower state law enforcement agencies with additional legal tools to prosecute individuals and organizations involved in AI-powered robocall scams. Additionally, the FCC can directly fine companies violating the ban or even block service providers facilitating such calls.
Other countries have also taken measures to combat this issue. In the European Union, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) has been implemented to protect personal data and prevent fraudulent activities.
In India, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has introduced a “Do Not Disturb” registry to prevent unsolicited calls and messages. However, more needs to be done to address the issue of phone scams.
Consumers should be cautious when receiving calls from unknown numbers and should not share personal information over the phone. Telecom companies should also take responsibility and implement measures to prevent fraudulent activities. Additionally, there is a need for international cooperation to combat phone scams, as scammers can operate from anywhere in the world.
Image credit: Microsoft Designer
