(The Center Square) – The Federal Communications Commission banned robocalls featuring AI-generated human voices on Thursday ahead of the 2024 presidential election.
The FCC announced the unanimous adoption of a ruling that takes effect immediately and makes voice cloning technology used in common robocall scams targeting consumers illegal.
The regulatory move is designed to give State Attorneys General new tools to go after the people behind such robocalls.
“Bad actors are using AI-generated voices in unsolicited robocalls to extort vulnerable family members, imitate celebrities, and misinform voters,” FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel said. “We’re putting the fraudsters behind these robocalls on notice.”
An increase in robocalls using AI-generated voices has grown in recent years with new technology. The FCC worried that “this technology now has the potential to confuse consumers with misinformation by imitating the voices of celebrities, political candidates, and close family members.”
The FCC started investigating the issue in November 2023.
