Two Democratic lawmakers have reintroduced the AI Ads Act, a bill that would prohibit the fraudulent use of artificial intelligence-generated content in political campaign advertising, warning that fabricated images, videos, and voices represent a growing threat to US elections. The legislation was reintroduced on 28 July by Senator Adam Schiff and Congressman Ro Khanna, both representing California.

What the Bill Proposes

The AI Ads Act would ban the fraudulent misrepresentation of political candidates or committees through content created wholly or partly with AI. This includes fabricated likenesses, voices, and statements attributed to real candidates or fictitious political organisations.

The bill would also extend an existing prohibition on fraudulent misrepresentation — including soliciting funds — to AI-generated material. Crucially, it removes the current requirement that a fraudulent misrepresentation must concern something 'damaging' to another candidate or party, broadening the scope of what can be prosecuted.

What the Lawmakers Said

'AI-generated fraudulent advertising which uses the likeness or voices of candidates to misrepresent their positions, campaigns, or causes, or otherwise misrepresents a candidate's point of view is not only wrong — it poses a serious threat to our democracy that should concern all Americans regardless of their party,' Senator Schiff said.

Schiff warned that deceptive AI advertising had already surfaced in political contests across the country and could become increasingly difficult for voters to distinguish from authentic campaign material. 'Fraudulent AI advertising has already proliferated in races across the country, and if Congress does not act, this runaway challenge will only get worse as AI becomes increasingly capable of blurring the lines between fact and fiction,' he said. 'With November elections around the corner, time is of the essence to reign in false political advertising.'

Congressman Khanna, who represents California's 17th Congressional District covering parts of Silicon Valley, said AI should not be weaponised against voters. 'AI will transform our lives and our society in many ways, but it can't be used to mislead voters or undermine our democracy,' Khanna said. 'I'm proud to lead the AI Ads Act with Senator Schiff to ban AI-generated content that deceives the public about candidates or elections.'

FEC Recommendations and Legislative History

The bill would also codify bipartisan recommendations previously made by the Federal Election Commission (FEC). Senator Schiff first introduced an earlier version of the legislation in the House of Representatives during the 118th Congress, making this a renewed push ahead of the upcoming election cycle.

Who Supports the Legislation

The bill has drawn backing from several civil society organisations, including the Campaign Legal Center, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, Common Cause, Protect Democracy, and Public Citizen.

Abigail Bellows of Common Cause said: 'Deceptive AI content online can manipulate voters, which is why we need this commonsense bill to ban AI ads that misrepresent candidates. This legislation will ensure new technology doesn't outpace election transparency.'

Craig Holman of Public Citizen noted that approximately 30 states had already enacted laws aimed at shielding state elections from deceptive AI practices, and called on Congress to extend similar protections to federal elections.

Why It Matters

This comes amid a broader global reckoning over AI's role in democratic processes. With generative AI tools now capable of producing near-indistinguishable synthetic media, the window for legislative intervention ahead of a major election cycle is narrowing. The AI Ads Act represents one of the most direct federal attempts to draw a legal line between AI-assisted campaigning and AI-driven deception — a distinction that could define the integrity of the November elections.