U.S Senators urge tech companies to label AI-generated content

United States Senator, Michael Bennet, wrote a letter to major tech companies, including OpenAI and Google, to urge the labelling of AI-generated content and monitor any misleading content produced by AI.

In a 29 June letter sent to executives of major tech companies involved with AI, including ChatGPT creator, OpenAI, Microsoft, Meta, Twitter and Alphabet, Bennet stressed that users should be aware when AI was used to make content.

The Senator said fake images have disruptive consequences for the economy and trust, especially when they are politically oriented.

“Continuing to produce and disseminate AI-generated content without clear, easily comprehensible identifiers poses an unacceptable risk to public discourse and electoral integrity.”

Michael Bennet, U.S Senator

Americans have the right to know when AI-generated content is being used, especially by politicians. Allowing fake images to circulate, unlabeled, poses a serious risk to our democracy.

I’m asking tech CEOs for answers about their labeling policies.https://t.co/gvwUu4Mn6n

— Michael Bennet (@SenatorBennet) June 29, 2023

In the letter, the Senator asks company executives to answer concerns about standards in identifying AI-generated content, implementing those standards and the repercussions for rule violations by 31 July.

The only company to respond so far is Twitter, which reportedly responded with a poop emoji. This same fear of non-labelled AI content leading to misinformation has been expressed by European lawmakers as well.

Addressing transparency and innovation

On 5 June, Vera Jourova, the European Commission’s Vice President for values and transparency, told the media that she believes companies deploying generative AI tools with the “potential to generate disinformation” should have labels on the content created to stop the spread of disinformation.

Although the U.S. does not currently have any comprehensive AI legislation in place, on 8 June, U.S. lawmakers proposed two bipartisan bills targeting transparency and innovation in the AI space.

One of the bills proposed by Democratic Senator, Gary Peters, and Republican Senators, Mike Braun and James Lankford would require transparency from the government regarding its AI usage.

The other, from Bennet and fellow Democratic Senator, Mark Warner, along with Republican Senator, Todd Young, would establish an official Office of Global Competition Analysis. Bennet also made comments in March 2023 directed toward the instability of the crypto industry after the collapse of Signature Bank.