The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has fined political consultant Steven Kramer $6 million for using deepfake AI technology to create illegal robocalls during the 2024 New Hampshire presidential primaries.
These robocalls featured a cloned voice of President Biden, instructing voters to abstain from voting in the primaries, falsely implying that their vote would only matter in the general election, according to a report from CBS New York. Additionally, the calls were made to appear as if they originated from the former chairwoman of the New Hampshire Democratic Party, as noted by the New York Times.
Kramer violated the Truth in Caller ID Act, which prohibits the transmission of misleading caller identification with intent to defraud, cause harm, or wrongfully obtain value. This law, passed in 2009, was expanded earlier this year to cover the use of AI deepfakes, as voted by the FCC. Kramer must pay the fine within 30 days, or the Department of Justice will enforce collection.
Kramer’s robocalls used deepfake technology developed by Paul Carpenter, a New Orleans-based magician. Carpenter created the fake Biden recordings using an AI voice generator from ElevenLabs, a process he said took only 20 minutes. The recordings were made for $500, with Carpenter claiming he believed the job was authorized by the Biden campaign. Following the robocall scandal, ElevenLabs shut down Carpenter’s account.
Kramer stated that his intent was to raise awareness about the misuse of AI technology, and despite the small investment in creating the calls, he believed his actions generated significant attention. He remains anonymous, claiming that he wanted to let the legal processes unfold naturally rather than seeking fame.
In addition to the FCC fine, Kramer faces criminal charges, including 13 felony counts of voter suppression and 13 misdemeanor counts of impersonating a candidate, according to New Hampshire Attorney General John M. Formella.
