CONCORD, N.H. (AP) 鈥 The League of Women Voters filed a lawsuit Thursday seeking to prevent those who sent robocalls mimicking President Joe Biden鈥 s voice to New Hampshire voters from using artificial intelligence for future deceptions.
The lawsuit was filed in federal court in New Hampshire against Steve Kramer, the political consultant behind the call, and two Texas companies authorities believe were involved in transmitting it: . Citing violations of both state law and federal law, it asks a judge to impose fines and bar the defendants from producing and distributing AI-generated robocalls without permission from those being impersonated.
At issue is a message sent to thousands of New Hampshire voters on Jan. 21 featured a voice similar to Biden鈥檚 falsely suggesting that voting in the state鈥檚 first-in-the-nation presidential primary two days later would preclude them from casting ballots in November. Kramer, who and self-described 鈥渄igital nomad鈥 who does technology consulting $150 to create the recording, has said he orchestrated the call to publicize the potential dangers of artificial intelligence and spur action from lawmakers.
Attorneys representing the plaintiffs in the lawsuit said Thursday they will challenge that 鈥渟elf-serving鈥 explanation.
鈥淩egardless of the motivation, the intent here was to suppress the vote and to threaten and coerce voters into not voting out of fear that they might lose their right to vote. That鈥檚 why we鈥檙e bringing this case,鈥 said Mark Herring, a former attorney general in Virginia.
A spokesperson for Kramer declined to comment on the lawsuit, saying his attorneys had not yet received it. Lingo Telecom and Life Corporation did not immediately respond to messages requesting comment.
Sophisticated generative AI tools, such as voice-cloning software and image generators, in elections in the U.S. and around the world, leading to concerns about the rapid .
Bipartisan efforts in Congress have sought to regulate AI in political campaigns, but no federal legislation has passed.
Since the New Hampshire robocalls, however, the FCC has that contain voices generated by artificial intelligence, and major tech companies have signed a pact to adopt precautions voluntarily to prevent AI tools from being used to disrupt elections.
The potential for such disruption means the League of Women Voters and other civic organizations must change course, said Courtney Hostetler of Free Speech for People, which is serving as co-lead counsel for the plaintiffs.
鈥淭he League of Women Voters is now shifting their scant resources to deal with this new threat, and it comes at the cost of all the other people they would otherwise be encouraging to vote, educating, helping them register, helping them learn their rights,鈥 she said.
Celina Stewart, chief counsel at the League of Women Voters, was in New Hampshire for the primary and said the calls created unnecessary chaos.
鈥淪hould the league or should election workers who already work often 12- to 16-hour shifts to implement the election have the burden of overcoming the obstacle of a robo call?鈥 she said. 鈥淭he answer to that has to be a hard no.鈥
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Associated Press writer Ali Swenson in New York contributed to this report.
