FCC Considers Loosening Rules on Political Robocalls With AI Voices

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is considering a request that could allow political robocalls, including those with artificial intelligence-generated voices, ahead of the November midterm elections. Current federal law prohibits most robocalls to cell phones without prior consent. The petition seeks a waiver that would permit political groups to use automated or prerecorded voices in unsolicited wireless calls.

The Republican-led FCC has advanced the request for public comment and could issue a ruling as early as late October. Consumer advocacy groups warn that the proposed change could trigger a surge of unwanted, partisan, and potentially misleading automated calls in the critical final days before the election. A similar incident occurred during the New Hampshire presidential primary, where thousands of voters received an AI-generated robocall mimicking Joe Biden's voice, urging them not to vote in the primary.

Club for Growth, a right-leaning economic policy group, is advocating for the change, arguing it could help political organizations better communicate with voters and improve polling accuracy. The group contends that current federal rules are outdated and hinder freedom of speech. However, consumer advocates argue that granting such a waiver could significantly weaken a deterrent against misuse. Tim Harper, leading the elections team at the Center for Democracy and Technology, stated that a decision close to Election Day would "open a huge opportunity for abuse during a period where harm has outsized impact."

FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez, a Democrat, opposes the move, believing it would create "a tsunami of robocalls and misinformation." She noted that "dark money groups have already used AI to put candidates’ likeness behind inflammatory comments." Such a change could "supercharge that strategy," allowing misleading messages to reach nearly every voter's phone.

Under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA), robocalls made with AI voice-cloning tools are currently prohibited. Past controversies, such as deceptive political robocalls in 2020 warning about mail-in voting consequences, have resulted in significant fines and criminal investigations. A decision on the petition is expected after the public comment period closes on October 19.