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Senator urges FCC to reject conservative group's bid to use political AI-generated robocalls
Schumer says the proposal would let campaigns use AI-generated voices in political calls without prior consent, citing a $6 million fake robocall case.
On Monday, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer urged the Federal Communications Commission to reject a petition from conservative group Club for Growth seeking to use AI-generated robocalls in upcoming elections without prior consent.
The Club for Growth, planning to spend $175 million in the midterm congressional elections, asked the Commission to treat political speech like standard wireless calls regarding banking or delivery appointments.
Schumer warned, "There is absolutely no excuse to relax these standards and allow special interests to flood our cellphone lines with deepfakes or dark-money-funded AI voices." He cited a 2024 FCC proposal to fine a consultant $6 million over fake robocalls.
The public comment period expires on Monday, allowing the FCC to take action this week ahead of the Nov. 3 election. Democratic FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez and public interest groups have urged the Commission to deny the petition.
Describing the system's operation, the FCC noted it uses a "perfunctory human being for the sole purpose of clicking on a 'send' button to transmit thousands of text messages per hour." FCC Chair Brendan Carr's office declined immediate comment.