Generated Deception in Political Ads – Pasadena Now
Congressman Adam Schiff, who represents portions of West Pasadena, co-introduced bipartisan legislation Tuesday in concert to combat AI-generated deception in political ads as the 2024 election approaches.
The AI Ads Act, co-sponsored by representatives from both parties, aims to prohibit fraudulent misrepresentation of candidates or committees through artificial intelligence-generated content.
"As AI tools begin to change political advertising in profound ways, our laws must adapt in turn," Schiff said. "We need to protect ourselves from fraudulent misrepresentation of candidates, campaigns, or causes by AI."
Schiff emphasized the urgency of the legislation, citing "very real implications" of false advertisements already seen and the proximity of the November election.
The bill responds to growing concerns about AI's potential use in creating deceptive political advertisements.
Election safety and AI experts support the need for such protective measures, according to Schiff.
The bipartisan effort includes support from Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pennsylvania), who stressed the importance of safeguarding election integrity. "This is not a partisan or controversial issue – it's about restoring faith and upholding the trust that voters place in our democracy, a commitment I will never waver from," Fitzpatrick said.
The bill would extend existing prohibitions on fraudulent misrepresentation to include content generated wholly or partly by AI. It would also broaden the scope to cover all persons claiming to act on behalf of candidates, committees, or organizations, and remove the requirement that fraudulent misrepresentation must pertain to a "damaging" matter to another candidate or political party.
Rep. Derek Kilmer (D-Washington) highlighted the bill's foundation in Federal Election Commission recommendations. "The AI Ads Act, grounded in recommendations from the Federal Election Commission, would ensure that fraudulent misrepresentation in political campaigns, whether by humans or AI, is prohibited," he said.
The proposed law has garnered support from various advocacy groups, including Public Citizen, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW), Common Cause, and Protect Democracy. These organizations emphasize the potential threats posed by AI to election security and voter trust.
Craig Holman of Public Citizen praised the bill as a necessary step to address the issue of convincing deep fakes in campaign advertisements. He noted that current law does not apply to outside groups like super PACs.
Debra Perlin, Policy Director for CREW (Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington), said by prohibiting AI-generated fraudulent misrepresentations in political advertising in U.S. elections, "the AI Ads Act takes an important step toward stopping disinformation and safeguarding our democracy."
Virginia Kase Solomón, President and CEO of Common Cause, underscored the importance of voter access to trusted information. She expressed gratitude for the bipartisan effort to enhance the Federal Election Commission's regulatory capabilities regarding AI-generated ads.
The legislation comes as concerns mount about the potential misuse of AI in the upcoming 2024 presidential election. Trevor Potter, a Republican former chairman of the Federal Election Commission, called the situation urgent.
Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer (R-Oregon) noted that while AI offers benefits, it also presents significant challenges to the democratic process.
"Oregon has already taken steps to establish AI parameters for political campaigns, and we need to act quickly to implement such standards nationwide," Chavez said.
Rep. Schiff previously led efforts to address AI-generated deception in political advertising, including a letter to the Federal Election Commission expressing disapproval of their decision not to seek public comment on Public Citizen's petition. He later spearheaded another letter supporting the Federal Election Commission's unanimous decision to advance the petition requesting rulemaking on AI in deceptive campaign advertisements.
