Bipartisan Bill Is “Crucial Guardrail” Against Dangerous Misuses of Generative AI
Washington, D.C. — Today, Senators Brian Schatz (D-HI) and John Kennedy (R-LA) will introduce the AI Labeling Act, a bipartisan bill supported by Public Citizen and others to increase transparency around the use of generative artificial intelligence (AI).
Richard Anthony, a big tech accountability advocate with Public Citizen, issued the following statement in response:
“Generative AI threatens to plunge us into a world of fraud, deceit, disinformation and confusion on a never-before-seen scale. The Schatz-Kennedy AI Labeling Act would steer us away from this dystopian future by ensuring we can distinguish between content from humans and content from machines.
“Every day, AI users create and circulate an ever-growing number of AI text, images, videos, and audio. While some of this content is fun and harmless, too much of this AI generated content carries unfounded and potentially devastating risk.
“Malicious actors, both domestic and abroad, are manipulating voters and sowing disinformation by crafting deepfake videos of political leaders.
“Companies are deceptively capitalizing on public trust in authority figures and celebrities by producing fraudulent product endorsements, testimonials, and recommendations.
“Cybercriminals are orchestrating exploitative robocall campaigns with voices that impersonate those of our loved ones.
“The AI Labeling Act would stand as a crucial guardrail against predatory, unethical, and dangerous misuses of generative AI. Americans deserve the right to know what is real and what is artificially produced. Congress should promptly pass this bill to restore digital transparency and public confidence in discerning the truth.”
Public Citizen recently petitioned the FEC for a new rule banning the use of political deepfakes in election ads, which the agency is currently considering. Last month, the organization also published a report on the dangers of human-like A.I. and a list of recommendations for regulating generative A.I.
For additional information or to speak with an expert, please contact Emily Leach at eleach@citizen.org.