HARRISBURG, PA — In the rapidly evolving world of technology, there exists a rising threat that impacts the unsuspecting consumer – artificial intelligence (AI) used for impersonation scams. But, relief could be on the horizon for Pennsylvanians, thanks to the relentless efforts of their state authorities.
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC), motivated in part by an articulate letter from the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, along with 48 other Attorneys General, has framed a new regulation. This rule discourages unscrupulous entities from using AI to mimic government or business organizations while duping consumers.
The Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General has played a significant role in influencing the FTC’s decision to institute stronger safeguards against these impersonation scams. The ongoing lobbying for more robust defenses has finally borne fruit with the FTC’s announcement to expand its new regulation. The agency now plans to protect against all scammers who use AI to imitate any individual or agency, not merely government bodies.
“Shame on scammers who deceive and manipulate Pennsylvanians by posing as government officials and agencies,” commented Attorney General Michelle Henry. “We applaud federal leaders for appreciating the gravity of our argument and acting upon our advice.”
AI’s increasingly sophisticated capability to generate voice clones of public figures or individuals with publicly available online content poses a significant threat to consumers. The recent regulatory measures by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) are geared towards mitigating this risk by equipping the agency with the authority to pursue legal action in federal court against perpetrators who leverage AI technology to deceptively impersonate government entities or businesses.
The illicit activities, such as the misrepresentation through government seals or corporate logos, the imitation of official email addresses or websites, and the false assertions of connections to governmental bodies or commercial enterprises, are now subject to scrutiny. With a surge in complaints regarding impersonation scams and the mounting concerns about their adverse impacts, the FTC has taken a proactive stance.
The commission has initiated a public consultation process on a supplementary notice proposing an expansion of the regulatory framework. This proposed enhancement aims to broaden the protective scope of the new regulation to encompass the prohibition of mimicking individuals, thereby addressing a pressing issue in the realm of AI-driven deception.
Emerging tech like AI-generated deepfakes pose significant threats, and the FTC’s actions are geared towards stopping this onslaught. FTC Chair Lina M. Khan noted, “With voice cloning and other AI-driven scams on the rise, our proposed expansions to the final impersonation rule aim to buttress the FTC’s arsenal against AI-enabled scams impersonating individuals.”
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and its Office of the Attorney General are at the forefront of championing the rights of consumers and protecting them from increasingly sophisticated scams. The proposed rule changes and final regulation changes are promising steps in the right direction, promising to fortify our defenses against AI-enabled deceit.
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