Which leads me to the legislative block. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has bannedusing artificial intelligence (AI) to generate robocalls with cloned human voices. This ruling extends the restrictions of the Telephone Consumer Protection Act to include AI technologies capable of generating human voices. State attorneys general can now take legal action against those responsible for illegal robocalls, and the ruling coincides with the 2024 presidential election, emphasizing the need to protect the integrity of the electoral process.
The unanimous decision comes after a bipartisan coalition of 26 state attorneys general urged the FCC to restrict the use of AI in telemarketing. Violators of the rule could face fines up to $23,000 per call, and recipients of scam calls have the right to take legal action and potentially recover up to $1,500 for each unwanted call.
But only some have moved. The UK government, AI companies, and creative organizations have failed to reach a consensus on a proposed code for training AI models on copyrighted material. This setback is a blow to artists and professionals who fear their work will be copied without credit or payment. The breakdown in talks means that definitive policies on AI copyright are unlikely to be set any time soon.
Speaking of Europe, The circulation of AI-generated deepfake images of Taylor Swift has prompted calls for legislation in the United States and raised concerns in the European Union. European Commission Vice President Věra Jourová highlighted the potential harm caused by deepfakes and called for stronger laws to protect victims. The EU has proposed a law to combat online abuse against women, including the non-consensual sharing of intimate images. The Digital Services Act (DSA) aims to hold social media platforms accountable for swiftly removing illegal content. The final deal also criminalizes the unsolicited sharing of sexually explicit material.
Companies leveraging AI for customer outreach must rigorously ensure their practices comply with evolving regulations, prioritizing transparency and consent in their communications strategies. This is a consulting opportunity, of course.
And the space won’t be smooth sailing – see the UK for the pitfalls to come. However, the chaos points to a broader trend toward more stringent regulation of AI technologies.