FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez Warns Against AI Robocall Risks Ahead of Elections

US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Commissioner Anna Gomez has urged the federal agency to reject a petition that would allow artificial intelligence-generated robocalls ahead of the upcoming midterm elections. On Wednesday, the commissioner opposed a request from Club for Growth, a conservative fiscal policy organisation, which asked the federal agency to permit political groups to make automated phone calls without prior user consent.

The petition, filed on August 31, proposed limiting calls to no more than three per person over a 30-day period while providing an opt-out option. The FCC public comment period began on September 4, with a comment deadline on Monday and response deadlines on October 19. A final decision has not yet been reached.

While political robocalls have a long history, the FCC prohibits such calls to cellphones and pagers without prior express consent, though they are permitted on landlines. The primary concern with AI technology is its ability to replicate real human voices and facilitate impersonation. Following a rise in scams, the FCC banned AI-generated voice robocalls in February 2024.

Commissioner Gomez warned that allowing dark money groups to flood American phones with uninvited AI robocalls would create chaos close to Election Day and lead to an increase in misinformation. These concerns were heightened following an incident before the 2024 New Hampshire primary, where voters received a robocall featuring an AI-generated voice imitating President Joe Biden urging them not to vote. Political consultant Steve Kramer was linked to the call, while states like Louisiana, Tennessee, and Vermont have since enacted disclosure laws for AI campaign calls.

Broader anxieties regarding AI in elections persist. A Reuters/Ipsos poll revealed that 57 percent of registered voters feel the administration of US President Donald Trump has not adequately addressed AI risks, while 54 percent expressed similar concerns about congressional leadership. Although the White House recently convened tech leaders from Anthropic, OpenAI, Meta, and Google to adopt voluntary safety pacts, critics like Tom Wheeler from the Brookings Institution have questioned the reliability of non-binding corporate commitments.