MEREDITH, N.H. (AP) — A company that used artificial intelligence to imitate President Joe Biden's voice to make fraudulent phone calls to New Hampshire voters has agreed to pay a $1 million fine Wednesday, federal regulators said.
Ringo Telecom, the voice service provider that sent the robocalls, has agreed to a settlement to resolve an enforcement action by the Federal Communications Commission that initially sought a $2 million penalty.
The case is seen by many as a disturbing early example of how AI could be used to influence groups of voters, or democracy as a whole.
Meanwhile, Steve Kramer, the political consultant who organized the call, still faces a proposed $6 million fine from the FCC and state criminal charges.
The phone messages were sent to thousands of New Hampshire voters on January 21. The messages featured a voice that sounded like Biden's and falsely suggested that voting in the state's presidential primary would prevent them from voting in November's general election.
Cramer, who commissioned a magician and self-described “digital nomad” to create the recording, told The Associated Press earlier this year that he wasn't trying to influence the outcome of the primary election but rather wanted to highlight the potential dangers of AI and urge lawmakers to act.
If convicted, Cramer faces up to seven years in prison for the voter suppression charge and up to one year in prison for the candidate impersonation charge.
The FCC said that not only did Ringo Telecom agree to the civil penalty, but it also agreed to strict caller ID authentication rules and requirements and to more thoroughly verify the accuracy of information provided by customers and upstream providers.
“Everyone has a right to know that the person on the other end of the phone is who they say they are,” FCC Chairman Jessica Rosenworcel said in a statement. “When AI is being used, that must be clearly communicated to consumers, citizens and constituents who see it. The FCC will take action when trust in our communications networks is at stake.”
Ringo Telecom did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The company has previously said the FCC's action is an attempt to retroactively impose new rules and that it strongly opposes it.
Public Citizen, a nonprofit consumer advocacy group, praised the FCC's action. Co-chair Robert Weissman said Rosenworcel was “absolutely right” to say that consumers have a right to know whether they're receiving real content or an AI-generated deepfake. Weissman said this case shows that these deepfakes pose an “existential threat to our democracy.”
FCC Enforcement Director Royan Egal said the combination of caller ID spoofing and AI voice cloning technology poses a significant threat “whether by domestic operatives seeking political advantage or sophisticated foreign adversaries conducting malign influence or election interference activities.”
