Wisconsin legislature passes laws restricting AI-produced deepfake campaign materials

Ahead of the general election, more states are proactively introducing new bills to regulate the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) created "deepfakes," or digitally altered videos or images, in their campaign materials.

Advanced generative AI tools, ranging from voice-cloning software to image generators, have swiftly become fixtures in election cycles both domestically and internationally.

In the lead-up to the 2024 presidential race last year, a wave of innovation saw the integration of AI-generated audio and imagery in campaign ads, alongside ventures into AI chatbots to cultivate voter engagement.

This week, Wisconsin joined 20 other states that have either introduced or passed election laws requiring election campaigns to disclose when advertisements are AI-generated.

On Thursday, a bipartisan group of state assemblymembers passed two bills tackling AI use in election cycles by a voice vote.

WHAT IS ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI)?

The first bill, AB 664, mandates all audio and video communications to bear the label "Contains content generated by AI," with violators risking penalties of up to $1,000 per offense.

One of the chief architects of the bill, Democrat Rep. Clinton Anderson, said on the floor, "We want voters to know that what you see is what you get."

Rep. Adam Neylon, another coauthor of the bill, said during the vote, "With artificial intelligence, it’s getting harder and harder to know what is true."

The second bill, AB 1068, mandates Wisconsin state agencies to conduct audits on AI tool usage to evaluate efficiency. These audits encompass tool inventories, guideline summaries, privacy policies, and data usage. Additionally, agencies must report to the legislature in 2026 on state employee positions that AI