Rick Allen Demands Increased Protections Against ‘AI Recording Voices’

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On Tuesday, Rep. Rick Allen (R-GA) questioned the FCC Chair Jessica Rosenworcel on AI developments during a House Energy and Commerce Committee hearing.

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00:00In the media space, the last time we looked at this was 2016.

00:02Anytime you're talking about such a long gap, it's worthwhile for us to have a refresh.

00:08Very well, and Mr. Chairman, I yield back, but I just wanted to ask this.

00:13Commissioner Gomez, if you have comments, would you send them to us in writing?

00:17Because my time has elapsed.

00:18Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

00:19I yield back.

00:20The gentlelady's time has expired.

00:21The chair now recognizes the gentleman from Georgia's 12th for five minutes for questions.

00:28Thank you, Mr. Chairman, for convening this hearing of the FY25 Federal Communications

00:34Commission Agency Budget, and I want to thank the commissioners for being here today.

00:39I'd like to start by recognizing the commission for the unanimous adoption of the

00:46declaratory ruling in February, which recognized that calls made with AI-generated voices are

00:52artificial under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act.

00:57Thank you for that.

00:58Yesterday, I introduced my Creating Legal and Ethical AI Recording Voices or Clear Voices Act.

01:06This bill would amend the Communications Act of 1934 to establish technical and procedural

01:12standards for artificial or pre-recorded voice systems created through generative

01:17artificial intelligence.

01:19Consistently, some of the biggest concerns I hear from constituents are regarding the

01:24robocalls, scam calls, and texts.

01:29With the increasing use of AI in communication, maintaining public trust is crucial,

01:34and the Clear Voices Act takes great strides in doing that.

01:39Chair Rosenworcel, the FCC released a notice of proposed rulemaking to prohibit all early

01:46termination fees imposed by cable and direct broadcast service providers.

01:52Even President Biden's statement, in connection with his junk fees executive order,

01:58proposed addressing ETFs only to the extent that they are unjust or unreasonable,

02:04which appropriately recognizes the contractual nature of ETFs and the benefits customers

02:10receive when opting for term contracts.

02:13It would not be more appropriate for the FCC to instead address only unjust or unreasonable

02:19ETF practices, such as failure to fully disclose them, and not just implement an outright ban.

02:27So we have an open proceeding on this.

02:28We haven't made a decision yet.

02:30We have lots of consumers who complain about early termination fees.

02:33They signed up for a contract, but then they got saddled with some big lump sum they had

02:37to pay when they want to get out of it.

02:39We're trying to understand what the scope of what is reasonable is there.

02:42That's why we have an open proceeding on this subject.

02:44I appreciate what you said.

02:46We will make sure we take it into consideration.

02:48The draft NPRM does not explain how an outright ban of ETFs would be reasonable given the

02:55cost savings and other consumer benefits available through term contracts with ETFs, and given

03:01the month-to-month service options also available to consumers.

03:04How do you justify removing customers' options to choose to get a discount in exchange for

03:09agreeing to take service for a specified time period?

03:13Well, that's why we're having a rulemaking.

03:15We're asking to try to identify what is reasonable under the context.

03:19That's the purpose of having a rulemaking.

03:21That's the purpose of asking the public, and I hope we can shape the definition of

03:24reasonable as part of that effort.

03:26Commissioner Carr, the chairwoman has announced plans to move forward the 5G fund while closing

03:32the digital divide that exists in rural America.

03:36I'm worried that adding the 5G fund on top of the rural digital opportunity fund, the

03:40BEED fund, the capital projects fund, and the ReConnect program will lead to wasted

03:44funding instead of connectivity.

03:47Do you see this overwhelming amount of broadband dollars as a reason for concern as the FCC

03:52considers the rules for the 5G fund?

03:55Thanks, Congressman, for the question.

03:56I've supported before moving forward the 5G fund, but you're right.

04:00There's been sort of a sea change in the amount of federal support that's out there since

04:04then, not just the $42 billion of BEED, but by my count, we've made over $800 billion

04:10available that could be used for infrastructure, including broadband infrastructure.

04:14So as we proceed with the 5G fund, we have to be very mindful of all these other programs

04:20and how do we make sure we move forward in a smart, coordinated way.

04:24And those are still issues, I think, that need to be worked out.

04:27Wouldn't it be wise to wait until the BEED funding is at least partially deployed so

04:32that the 5G fund is available to fill in the gaps instead of duplicate funding?

04:37That's one of the arguments that we're looking at very closely, is how do you align this

04:41with BEED?

04:41There is the argument that if you wait until after BEED, you could potentially have the

04:455G fund go further.

04:47Others argue that they want to move forward sooner in order to take advantage of the connectivity

04:51that will be enabled, and that sort of wrestling of those issues is what we're sort of looking

04:54at right now.

04:56Chair Rosenworcel, with the NTIA BEED funding program set to approve most, if not all, state

05:03proposals by the end of July, the FCC's national broadband map is a critical component in making

05:09those decisions.

05:10As the FCC continues to update and refine the NBM, how does the FCC plan to address

05:15providers who overstate coverage?

05:19If you willfully or maliciously overstate your coverage, we will send you to our Enforcement

05:24Bureau and we will take action.

05:25We've already done so.

05:26We are also using all available processes to make sure that that data is accurate, including

05:33challenges from state, local authorities, other carriers, and consumers.

05:37And we welcome any information that you have from your office, and we can incorporate that

05:41into our mapping efforts.

05:42Good.

05:43My time is up.

05:44I yield back.

05:45The gentleman's time has expired, and the Chair now recognizes the gentlelady from New

05:49Hampshire's 2nd District.

05:50Five minutes for questions.

05:52Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Rick Allen Demands Increased Protections Against ‘AI Recording Voices’

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