US Senate Committee Advances Bills To Counter AI Manipulation In Elections

With Election Day looming just months away, the US Senate Rules Committee has approved three bills designed to protect elections from manipulation by artificial intelligence.

These bills must now progress through the House and gain approval from the entire Senate to be enacted into law.

The Preparing Election Administrators for AI Act, passed unanimously (11-0), directs the Election Assistance Commission (EAC) and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to create a report on AI risks for election offices.

The Protect Elections from Deceptive AI Act and the AI Transparency in Elections Act, both passed by a 9–2 margin in the committee, address different aspects of AI manipulation in elections.

The former would restrict AI deepfakes of federal candidates in specific situations related to fundraising or election influence, while the latter would mandate a disclaimer on political ads significantly created or modified by AI.