How Michigan is Fighting Fake News with New AI Laws for Political Ads
Published on: March 10, 2024
In a significant move, the Michigan Legislature has passed a series of bills aimed at regulating the use of artificial intelligence in political advertising. This action comes as the state and the country move into another election year, highlighting the increasing role of AI in political discourse.
The suite of bills includes House Bill 4129, which penalizes intimidation of election officials, and House Bills 5141, 5143, 5144, and 5145, focusing on AI in political ads. These bills mandate disclaimers in AI-generated political ads and establish penalties for deceptive use of AI in advertising.
House Bill 4129, sponsored by Rep. Kara Hope, makes it a misdemeanor to intimidate or prevent election officials from performing their duties, with escalating penalties for subsequent offenses.
Under House Bill 5141, political advertisements created wholly or partially through AI must include disclaimers. The bill underwent revisions, with the final version passed by the Senate imposing civil infractions for failure to include disclaimers, a significant reduction from the earlier proposed penalties.
The bills also address the issue of 'deepfakes' or materially deceptive media, maintaining consistent penalties for distributing such content with the intent to deceive voters.
Michigan's approach to AI in political advertising reflects a growing awareness of the technology's impact on elections. The legislation defines AI broadly, encompassing systems that can perceive environments, abstract perceptions into models, and use model inference to formulate information or action.
State Rep. Matthew Bierlein, a sponsor of the AI bill package, emphasized the importance of establishing a legal framework to address AI's evolving role in elections and political information consumption.
Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson lauded the passage of these bills, particularly for strengthening penalties against threats or harassment towards election workers. She also expressed her commitment to work with state and federal partners in protecting elections from AI-related interference.
These legislative measures represent a proactive step by Michigan to address the challenges posed by AI in political advertising. The state aims to ensure the safety and integrity of its electoral process while adapting to the rapidly evolving landscape of artificial intelligence.