Michigan Democrats are demonstrating a proactive model for the country as they tackle the use of AI in political ads
LANSING — Last night, Democrats in the Michigan House passed groundbreaking legislation, led by Rep. Penelope Tsernoglou, Rep. Noah Arbit, and Rep. Ranjeev Puri to regulate and punish bad actors using deceptive AI-generated content in political ads, setting a model for the country. Democrats are at the cutting edge of fighting misinformation ahead of a critical election cycle and growing threats to our democracy.
“This bipartisan legislation is about combating the misinformation that threatens our elections, the very heart of our democracy,” said Chair of the Michigan Democratic Party Lavora Barnes. “We have already seen the danger of AI deep fakes and the chaos they bring, and we are also dealing with a Republican Party intent on promoting conspiracies at every turn. This legislation will greatly assist Michiganders in understanding where the political information they’re consuming comes from. We are grateful for the Democratic leaders in the House who are setting an example for the country and protecting our democracy.”
As the use and popularity of AI content grows, this legislation will become even more important for safe, accurate, honest campaigning – especially as we gear up for one of the most important elections of our lifetime. This legislation will protect Michiganders from deceptive AI audio and images that aim to influence their vote with lies.
Read more about this crucial legislation below:
Bloomberg Law: Felony for AI Election Deepfakes Bill Heads to Michigan Senate
- AI-created deepfakes could land unscrupulous Michiganders in prison in the coming months under legislation approved Wednesday by the state House of Representatives.
- The prospective laws—a set of five—would create a new felony offense for circulating “materially deceptive media” to sway an election along with disclosure requirements for any use of artificial intelligence.
- Violators in the key swing state—which could determine control of the White House and US House next year—could face a felony conviction and years in prison for violating prospective restrictions if they become law.
Michigan Advance: Michigan House advances protections for poll workers, restrictions on AI in political ads
- Members of the House also voted to advance a set of bipartisan bills which would require disclaimers on political ads with audio, images or videos generated using artificial intelligence and create penalties for trying to deceive voters close to an election by using deepfake technology…
- “I’m also glad to see bills passed today that address the impact of artificial intelligence on our political discourse and election security,” Benson said, adding she would like to see the Senate support these measures before the Legislature adjourns for the year.
MLive: Harassment and AI: Election protections advance in Michigan
- House Bills 5141 through 5145 target things like deepfakes, which are videos or audio clips with AI to show someone saying something they didn’t say by matching their appearance, voice or cadence.
- “Simply put, these bills will ensure another layer of integrity for upcoming elections by putting some much-needed guardrails” on AI tech,” said Rep. Penelope Tsernoglou, D-East Lansing.
State Representative Penelope Tsernoglou
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