Saskatchewan is asking the federal government to ban the use of artificial intelligence (AI) for voice cloning, just months before a provincial election.
Minister for Justice and Attorney-General Bronwyn Eyre said rules banning AI voice cloning was in the best interest of protecting democracy and the integrity of elections.
“These will be the rules of communication for robocalls and voice-replicating AI-generated calls across the country,” Ayre said in an interview.
The calls came after an AI-generated voice of US President Joe Biden was sent to New Hampshire residents earlier this year. The Federal Communications Commission ruled that robocalls using AI-generated voices were illegal and proposed a $6 million fine.
“We’ve seen voice cloning of other politicians around the world, but the risks of messaging falsification in elections are clear and voice spoofing could lead to all sorts of risks in elections,” Eyre said.
Eyre said the department is looking at what it can do under state law to provide greater protections, but ultimately the national CRTC is in the best position to enact regulations.
Saskatchewan’s chief electoral officer, Michael Boda, is looking into the impact AI could have on future elections.
“This is something I’m very focused on. We’re at the very beginning of that journey,” he said in an interview.
“But I can say that I am meeting with colleagues across the country, we are meeting in July to discuss that further and we will be issuing a statement on AI in July.”
How is AI used in voice cloning?
Jonathan Anderson, an associate professor and computer security expert at Memorial University in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, previously told CBC that it’s becoming easier and cheaper to use AI to effectively mimic someone else’s voice.
Anderson said that just 30 seconds or so of good quality audio is enough to replicate someone’s voice.
He encourages people to be skeptical of anything they receive electronically and to be careful about where the information is coming from.
““I think awareness is really important, educating people on what’s possible and showing how well we can replicate voices and objects,” he said.
