On Wednesday, the chair of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) put forth a proposal that could mandate political advertisers to disclose the utilization of AI-generated content in radio and television ads.
Should the proposal be enacted, the FCC intends to solicit feedback regarding the necessity for on-air and written disclosures of AI-generated content in political advertisements, with the aim of extending these requirements to specific mediums. The FCC emphasizes that these disclosure requirements wouldn’t prohibit the use of such content but rather aim to ensure transparency from political advertisers regarding their utilization of AI technology.
FCC Chair Jessica Rosenworcel emphasized the importance of informing consumers about the use of artificial intelligence tools as they become more prevalent. This initiative forms part of a broader regulatory effort to oversee the application of AI in political communications. Earlier this year, the FCC prohibited the use of AI-generated voices in robocalls, a decision made following incidents such as a robocall in New Hampshire during the state’s presidential primary that featured an AI-generated voice resembling President Joe Biden’s.
Notably, prominent political entities have already ventured into using AI in their advertisements. For instance, the Republican National Committee produced an AI-generated attack ad targeting President Biden, accompanied by a disclosure about its AI origins. Similarly, the Democratic National Committee created an AI-generated parody of a song associated with Lara Trump.
The Federal Election Commission has also shown interest in regulating AI use in political advertising, with recent bipartisan legislation proposed in the Senate seeking disclaimers on ads featuring AI-generated images, audio, or video. This legislation, known as the AI Transparency in Elections Act, aims to ensure transparency in political advertising while allowing minor AI alterations for non-deceptive purposes.
