FCC Bans Robocalls Using AI-Generated Voices

The Federal Communications Commission has unanimously adopted a Declaratory Ruling that prohibits the use of AI-generated voices in robocalls targeting consumers.

Specifically, the FCC found that the Telephone Consumer Protection Act's (TCPA) "restrictions on the use of 'artificial or prerecorded voice' encompass current AI technologies that resemble human voices and/or generate call content using a prerecorded voice." Therefore, robo-callers "must obtain prior express consent from the called party before making a call that utilizes artificial or prerecorded voice simulated or generated through AI technology." The FCC took this step because "voice cloning can convince a called party that a trusted person, or someone they care about such as a family member, wants or needs them to take some action that they would not otherwise take."