Senate Majority Leader sees urgent need for AI regulations, considering must-pass bills to ensure safeguards before elections.
- Chuck Schumer emphasizes the threat deepfakes pose to democracy and election integrity.
- Schumer plans to attach deepfake and AI legislation to critical funding and defense bills.
- Recent attempts to pass deepfake bills were blocked, but efforts continue amid growing concerns.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer is intensifying his efforts to regulate artificial intelligence and combat the dangers of deepfakes as the 2024 elections draw near. In an interview with NBC News, Schumer expressed his concern over the potential for AI-generated deepfakes to undermine democracy and voter trust.
Schumer has been vocal about the urgent need for legislative action to address AI and deepfakes, especially in the context of elections. Just last week, Elon Musk shared a deepfake video of Vice President Kamala Harris, highlighting the ease with which such technology can be used to spread misinformation. Schumer fears that without proper regulations, the political landscape could become a “Wild West” of misleading and deceptive content.
“Deepfakes are a serious, serious threat to this democracy. If people can no longer believe that the person they’re hearing speak is actually the person, this democracy has suffered — it will suffer — in ways that we have never seen before. And if people just get turned off to democracy, Lord knows what will happen,” Schumer stated during his interview.
To address these concerns, Schumer is eyeing must-pass bills as potential vehicles for deepfake and AI legislation. He hinted that two deepfake election bills might be attached to the must-pass funding bill needed to avert a government shutdown at the end of September, just a month before the elections. Additionally, Schumer indicated that the fiscal year 2025 defense policy bill, which must be passed by the end of the year, could include national security-related AI legislation.
The proposed deepfake bills would ban deceptive AI-generated audio or visual depictions of federal candidates intended to influence elections or solicit campaign funds. They would also require disclaimers for any political ads made using AI. Although these bills cleared the Rules Committee, they were blocked by Republicans on the Senate floor last week when Democrats attempted to pass them by unanimous consent.
In June, a bill aimed at banning deepfake pornographic images faced similar opposition from Republicans, who proposed their own version of the legislation, arguing that it would better protect free speech.
Schumer’s push for AI and deepfake legislation reflects a growing recognition of the need to address the potential dangers of these technologies. As the 2024 elections approach, the pressure is on to implement safeguards that can help maintain the integrity of the democratic process.
