As public comment on an AI robocall proposal closed Monday, Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer pressed U.S. regulators to reject a request for political calls to cellphones without prior consent before November’s midterm elections.
Club for Growth filed the request with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) on Aug. 31. The comment period opened Sept. 4 and closed Oct. 19. The group wants to use AI-generated voices in campaign calls to cellphones without first obtaining recipients’ consent.
Schumer said campaigns could imitate an opponent’s voice to mislead voters. Such a message could be “at worst, a blatant lie,” he said.
He had previously opposed the proposal, citing a robocall before New Hampshire’s 2024 presidential primary. The call used an AI imitation of then-President Joe Biden to discourage voting. The FCC said a political consultant working with primary challenger Dean Phillips was responsible.
Club for Growth President David McIntosh argued that campaign messages should receive treatment comparable to routine mobile notices about deliveries, bank accounts and medical appointments.
FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez told Reuters earlier this month that approving the petition could expose people to unwanted AI-generated calls close to Election Day. She urged fellow commissioners not to consider it.
This year, Louisiana, Tennessee and Vermont enacted laws requiring disclosure for certain AI-generated campaign communications. Those state measures concern disclosure; the Club for Growth petition concerns whether callers need prior consent to reach cellphones.
An FCC spokesperson told Al Jazeera that the agency had no plans to move the petition toward an order and described seeking public comment as routine. U.S. congressional elections are scheduled for Nov. 3.
