Schumer urges FCC to block AI robocalls before US midterm elections

Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer has urged the Federal Communications Commission to reject a petition that would allow AI-generated robocalls ahead of the November midterm elections. The request centres on a filing by the conservative group Club for Growth, which is asking the regulator to permit the use of artificial intelligence in political robocalls. Schumer said the change could let campaigns use an opponent's voice to spread messages that could be misleading or false.

The petition was filed on 31 August, with the public comment period opening on 4 September and expiring on Monday. Schumer made his appeal on Monday, arguing that the proposal should not be approved before voters go to the polls in November. Anna Gomez, the Democratic member of the FCC, had already urged colleagues earlier this month not to consider the petition, warning that allowing such calls could create chaos close to election day.

The issue has gained attention because of a recent precedent in the 2024 presidential election. Ahead of the New Hampshire primary, voters received an AI-generated robocall using the voice of President Joe Biden telling them not to vote. The FCC said a political consultant working with longshot primary challenger Dean Phillips was responsible.

That episode has become a reference point for concerns about how synthetic audio could be used in campaign messaging. The dispute also comes as several states have moved to tighten rules on AI in political communications. Louisiana, Tennessee and Vermont passed laws this year requiring disclosures for AI-generated campaign phone calls.

As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.

At the federal level, existing FCC rules already prohibit robocalls to cellphones without prior consent, although those restrictions do not apply to landlines. The current petition would test how regulators treat AI-generated political speech in that framework. Club for Growth has argued that political speech should be treated the same way as other automated calls that are already permitted under FCC rules, such as calls about package deliveries, bank accounts and doctor's appointments.

The group's president said earlier this month that the petition is about First Amendment-protected speech. An FCC spokesperson said there are no plans to move to an order on the petition and that comment requests are handled as part of normal procedure. What remains unclear is whether the FCC will take up the petition before the midterm campaign intensifies further.

The timing matters because the comment period has now closed and the elections are approaching. The case is likely to remain part of a wider debate over election security, campaign communications and the regulation of AI-generated content.

#ChuckSchumer #FCC #AIrobocalls #midtermelections #electionsecurity