A political consultant, Steven Kramer, was found not guilty on all counts at his trial regarding AI-generated robocalls sent to New Hampshire voters before the 2024 presidential primary. The calls, which mimicked former President Joe Biden’s voice, told recipients to “save their vote for November.”
Kramer admitted to sending the calls but claimed he did so as a warning about the potential dangers of artificial intelligence. He testified that he targeted New Hampshire due to the state’s high media attention preceding the primary.
“I knew that by not spending much money, having no experience at all with artificial intelligence, and then releasing it at a time two days before the primary… that would be something that would get people’s attention,” Kramer explained during his testimony.
The defense argued that the primary was not sanctioned by the Democratic National Committee, rendering it “meaningless.” Kramer maintained that he did not commit a crime, stating, “It’s easy to remember the truth, and that’s one of the reasons I’m here today.”
New Hampshire Attorney General John Formella acknowledged the verdict, saying, “We thank the jury for their service. Our commitment to enforcing election laws remains steadfast. We will continue to work diligently to address the challenges posed by emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, to protect the integrity of our elections.”
Despite the acquittal, officials noted that the $6 million civil penalty imposed by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) after the robocalls were sent remains in effect. The FCC had fined Kramer for violating regulations related to the robocalls.
The case highlighted the growing concerns about the use of AI in political campaigns and the potential for such technology to be misused in the future.
