AI Frontier Institute

A bill for an act relating to the use of artificial intelligence for purposes associated with elections, ballot issues, and public officials, providing penalties, and making penalties applicable.

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Iowa House File 2150, introduced by Representative Wichtendahl, regulates the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in election-related contexts. The bill amends Code section 68A.405 to require that any published material generated using AI that expressly advocates for or against a candidate or ballot issue must carry a disclosure stating 'this material was generated using artificial intelligence.' AI is defined as a machine-based system that, for human-defined objectives, can make predictions, recommendations, or decisions influencing real or virtual environments. Under new Code section 68A.507, it is prohibited to publish material containing an AI-generated representation of a person endorsing a candidate or ballot measure. New Code section 68B.40 prohibits candidates, their committees, political committees, public officials, and state statutory political committees from using AI to depict a candidate or public official engaging in behavior they would be unlikely to engage in or that would diminish their public perception. Candidates, their committees, and public officials are also barred from using AI to depict themselves in events or situations that did not occur, and from knowingly sharing third-party AI-generated material—though a good-faith effort to remove such material and inform the public provides a safe harbor. Public officials are additionally prohibited from using AI to manipulate depictions of events of statewide or national importance in ways intended to influence public opinion about a defined group or affect an election or legislation. The Iowa Ethics and Campaign Disclosure Board may impose fines of up to $5,000 on candidates or public officials for a first violation of section 68B.40 (with escalating fines for subsequent violations) and up to $50,000 on committees (doubling for repeat violations). Willful violations of Code chapter 68A constitute a serious misdemeanor punishable by up to one year of confinement and fines between $430 and $2,560. Collected fines are deposited in the state general fund.

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