Schatz introduces AI-generated content transparency bill

US Sen. Brian Schatz of Hawaiʻi introduced bipartisan legislation aimed at increasing transparency around artificial intelligence-generated content, requiring clear labels when people are viewing AI-made material or interacting with an AI chatbot.

The AI Labeling Act comes amid growing concern in Hawaiʻi and nationally about the effects of unlabeled AI content, including reports that AI platforms are being used to create deep fake photos and generate scam calls using an AI-generated voice of a loved one.

“People deserve to know whether or not the videos, photos, and content they see and read online is real or original,” Schatz said. “Our bill is simple — if any digital content is made by artificial intelligence, it should be labeled so that people are aware and aren’t fooled or scammed.”

The bill would require visible and machine-readable disclosures on AI-generated images, video and audio content. It would also require AI developers and major social media platforms to work together so users can verify whether shared content is authentic, and would establish a working group to develop technical standards for identifying AI-generated material and tracking its origin.

In a news release, Schatz pointed to several high-profile examples of AI-driven deception in recent years, including a fabricated 2023 photo of an explosion near the Pentagon that briefly moved financial markets, and widely circulated deepfake images depicting former President Donald Trump being arrested. AI-generated voice cloning has also been used in scam calls impersonating relatives to defraud victims.

Violations of the act would be treated as an unfair or deceptive act or practice under the Federal Trade Commission Act.

The full text of the bill can be viewed here.