The bi-partisan legislation would create federal liability and enforcement measures targeting AI-enabled impersonation and related fraud.
House members Vern Buchanan (R-Fla.) and Darren Soto (D-Fla.) introduced H.R. 7786, titled the AI Fraud Accountability Act, to establish federal protections against digital impersonation fraud, including cases involving AI-generated content.
Under the legislation, individuals who create or use digital replicas or impersonations of another person without consent, and with intent to defraud or cause harm, could face civil liability. Under the bill, individuals may file civil lawsuits against violators, seeking to take down any harmful material and sue for monetary damages.
The legislation also sets rules for online platforms and services that host or distribute this kind of material. To limit their liability, these companies would need to act once notified of an impersonation. That includes removing the content and taking reasonable steps to prevent it from being reposted.
The bill assigns enforcement authority to federal agencies by treating these impersonation schemes as violations subject to existing federal oversight. In practice, this allows Federal agencies to pursue cases where impersonation is used in connection with deceptive or fraudulent conduct, using their existing powers to investigate and enforce fraud cases involving AI-generated replicas.
The legislation also defines key terms, such as what constitutes a “digital replica,” to ensure that courts apply a consistent standard when evaluating cases.
The requirements would apply broadly to individuals who create the content, as well as to platforms and service providers that distribute or enable it.
H.R. 7786 has been introduced and referred to multiple House committees, including the Committees on Energy and Commerce, the Judiciary, Science, Space, and Technology, and Foreign Affairs, for further consideration.
No floor votes or additional legislative actions have been recorded at this stage.
