Microsoft pushes US Congress to pass law for crackdown on deepfakes

Microsoft Corp. is calling on Congress to pass a comprehensive law to crack down on images and audio created with artificial intelligence — known as deepfakes — that aim to interfere in elections or maliciously target individuals.

Noting that the tech sector and nonprofit groups have taken steps to address the problem, Microsoft President Brad Smith on Tuesday said, “It has become apparent that our laws will also need to evolve to combat deepfake fraud.” He urged lawmakers to pass a “deepfake fraud statute to prevent cybercriminals from using this technology to steal from everyday Americans.”