FCC chair asks telecoms to detail efforts to block fraudulent AI political robocalls

(Reuters) – The chair of the Federal Communications Commission asked the CEOs of AT&T (NYSE:), Verizon (NYSE:), Comcast (NASDAQ:) and other cable and telecom carriers to detail efforts to crack down on fraudulent AI-generated political robocalls, the agency said Thursday.

Last month Steven Kramer, a Louisiana Democratic political consultant, was indicted over a fake robocall imitating U.S. President Joe Biden seeking to dissuade people from voting for him in New Hampshire’s Democratic primary election. The FCC in May proposed to fine Kramer $6 million over the robocalls it said were using an AI-generated deepfake audio recording of Biden’s cloned voice, saying its rules prohibit transmission of inaccurate caller ID information. Kramer has pleaded not guilty.