US senator pushes tech companies to label AI-generated content

United States Senator Michael Bennet has urged tech companies to label AI-generated content and monitor any misleading content produced by artificial intelligence (AI). 

In a June 29 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.

Bennet 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.“

The senator also stressed that while some companies have begun to label some AI-generated content, the policies are “alarmingly reliant on voluntary compliance.“

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

The only company to respond so far is Twitter, which reportedly responded with a poop emoji. 

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This same fear of non-labeled AI content leading to misinformation has been expressed by European lawmakers as well. 

On June 5, 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 June 8, 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.

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