AI Transparency in Elections Act of 2026

This bill amends the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to introduce new transparency requirements for political advertisements utilizing artificial intelligence. It mandates that any "covered communication" — broadly defined to include various forms of political advertising that advocate for or against candidates, refer to them, or solicit contributions — must include a clear and conspicuous disclaimer if it contains an image, audio, or video "substantially generated by artificial intelligence." This definition of AI-generated content includes material created or altered using machine learning, with exceptions for minor cosmetic adjustments that do not fundamentally change understanding.

The legislation specifies distinct requirements for these disclaimers based on the media type. For image-based communications, the statement must be permanently affixed, appear in a prominent text size, and explicitly state that the content was created or materially altered by AI. Audio communications require a clearly audible and intelligible spoken statement at the beginning or end, lasting at least four seconds, identifying the use of AI and the person who paid for the communication. For video communications with audio, both written and audible disclaimers are required, appearing throughout the video and meeting the respective image and audio standards.

To ensure compliance, the bill establishes a framework for enforcement, including civil money penalties for violations, which can be up to $50,000 per covered communication. It directs the Federal Election Commission (FEC) to promulgate regulations within 90 days, in consultation with the National Institute of Standards and Technology, to define criteria for identifying AI-generated content and the specifics of the required statements. Furthermore, the FEC is tasked with submitting biannual reports to Congress assessing compliance and enforcement, and recommending any necessary modifications to the law.