Washington, D.C. — Today, Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet, a member of the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration with oversight over federal elections, joined Rules Committee Chairwoman Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) and U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-N.J.) to introduce the REAL Political Ads Act. This legislation would require a disclaimer on political ads for federal campaigns that use content generated by artificial intelligence (AI).
“We are already seeing political advertisements making use of new AI tools, with huge implications for our democracy,” said Bennet. “This bill will bring more transparency and accountability to our elections by informing voters when AI is being used in political ads – an important step toward aligning its use with our democratic values.”
“The emergence of artificial intelligence has shown us just how rapidly things can change as technology grows more sophisticated. For the first time in history, we’re seeing how artificial intelligence could be used to generate images and videos in political ads, creating new avenues for misleading content. Our laws need to keep up,” said Klobuchar. “This commonsense legislation would update our disclosure laws to improve transparency and ensure voters are aware when this technology is used in campaign ads.”
“Our democracy relies on transparency and accountability, especially when it comes to political advertising,” said Booker. “We must ensure that voters are fully aware of the source and authenticity of all political ads that seek to inform voters’ decisions. That’s why I’m proud to join my colleagues in introducing this bill that will regulate AI-generated content in political ads and empower citizens to make informed choices.”
Bennet is a leading advocate for reforming campaign finance and increasing trust in our elections. In February, Bennet joined colleagues to reintroduce the DISCLOSE Act to strengthen disclosure requirements for organizations spending money in elections. In 2021, he introduced the ZOMBIE Act to require politicians no longer running for office to close their old campaign accounts. In 2019, he introduced a constitutional amendment to reverse Citizens United by restoring authority to Congress, states, and the American people to regulate campaign finance. He is also the lead author of the Close the Revolving Door Act, which would permanently ban former Members of Congress from working as lobbyists.
Bennet has also continuously pushed to improve U.S. oversight of emerging technologies, including AI. Last week, Bennet introduced the Oversee Emerging Technology Act to require relevant federal agencies to designate a senior official able to advise on the responsible use of emerging technologies like AI. Last month, Bennet introduced the ASSESS AI Act to create a task force to review existing AI policies across the federal government and ensure the federal government’s AI tools and policies respect civil rights, civil liberties, privacy, and due process. In 2022, Bennet introduced first-of-its-kind legislation to create a Federal Digital Platform Commission, an expert federal body empowered to provide common-sense rules of the road for digital platforms to protect consumers, promote competition, and defend the public interest.
The text of the bill is available HERE.
