FCC Chairman Jessica Rosenworcel Proposes Ban on AI-Generated Calls

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chair Jessica Rosenworcel recently proposed banning voice calls generated by artificial intelligence. Rosenworcel proposes making such robocalls illegal under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA), which is also the primary law the FCC uses to help limit junk calls.

“AI-generated voice cloning and images are already sowing confusion by tricking consumers into thinking scams and frauds are legitimate. That’s why the FCC is taking steps to recognize this emerging technology as illegal under existing law, giving our partners at state attorneys general offices across the country new tools they can use to crack down on these scams and protect consumers,” Rosenworcel said.

In November, the FCC initiated a Notice of Inquiry to gather information on combating illegal robocalls and exploring the role of AI. The agency investigated AI's involvement in scams originating from spam calls, including voice mimicry of familiar individuals, and whether regulatory oversight under the TCPA should apply.

Additionally, the FCC inquired about utilizing AI for pattern recognition to proactively identify and mitigate illegal robocalls before they reach consumers.

Earlier this year, a group of 26 attorneys general collectively urged the FCC to limit the utilization of AI in telemarketing. The group of attorneys emphasized the necessity of safeguarding consumers from unwanted robocalls and robotexts.