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Thanks to improvements in text-to-speech AI, voice cloning holds promise for consumers, but scammers often find a way to twist tech advancements for their nefarious purposes – and voice cloning is no exception. Announced in November, the goal of the FTC’s Voice Cloning Challenge is to encourage breakthrough ideas to help monitor, evaluate, and prevent malicious voice cloning. You have until 8:00 PM Eastern Time on January 12, 2024, to file your entry.

The focus of the challenge is to encourage innovative solutions – from products to policies to procedures. Read more about the Voice Cloning Challenge, including updated rules and submission tips. Then use the online portal to send us: 1) a one-page abstract that summarizes your submission, and 2) a more detailed explanation (10 pages max). In addition, you may send an optional video describing or demonstrating how your submission would function.

Of course, the Challenge is just one part of a broader approach to address the risks posed by the misuse of voice cloning and other AI technologies. The FTC will continue to use every available tool, including law enforcement, to ensure that the promise of AI can be realized for the benefit – and not the detriment – of consumers and competition.

We welcome your submission by the January 12th deadline.
 

It is your choice whether to submit a comment. If you do, you must create a user name, or we will not post your comment. The Federal Trade Commission Act authorizes this information collection for purposes of managing online comments. Comments and user names are part of the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) public records system, and user names also are part of the FTC’s computer user records system. We may routinely use these records as described in the FTC’s Privacy Act system notices. For more information on how the FTC handles information that we collect, please read our privacy policy.

The purpose of this blog and its comments section is to inform readers about Federal Trade Commission activity, and share information to help them avoid, report, and recover from fraud, scams, and bad business practices. Your thoughts, ideas, and concerns are welcome, and we encourage comments. But keep in mind, this is a moderated blog. We review all comments before they are posted, and we won’t post comments that don’t comply with our commenting policy. We expect commenters to treat each other and the blog writers with respect.

  • We won’t post off-topic comments, repeated identical comments, or comments that include sales pitches or promotions.
  • We won’t post comments that include vulgar messages, personal attacks by name, or offensive terms that target specific people or groups.
  • We won’t post threats, defamatory statements, or suggestions or encouragement of illegal activity.
  • We won’t post comments that include personal information, like Social Security numbers, account numbers, home addresses, and email addresses. To file a detailed report about a scam, go to ReportFraud.ftc.gov.

We don't edit comments to remove objectionable content, so please ensure that your comment contains none of the above. The comments posted on this blog become part of the public domain. To protect your privacy and the privacy of other people, please do not include personal information. Opinions in comments that appear in this blog belong to the individuals who expressed them. They do not belong to or represent views of the Federal Trade Commission.

John Doe
January 10, 2024

Dear Federal Trade Commission,

I am writing to express my strong support for the FTC’s Voice Cloning Challenge. This initiative is a timely response to the emerging risks and opportunities presented by advances in voice cloning technology. While this technology offers significant benefits for consumers, such as personalized assistance and enhanced accessibility, its potential misuse by scammers is a concerning issue that must be addressed proactively.

The focus of the FTC’s Voice Cloning Challenge on encouraging innovative solutions is commendable. By seeking input on products, policies, and procedures, the FTC is fostering a holistic approach to tackling the challenges posed by voice cloning. This challenge not only encourages technological innovation but also the development of robust regulatory frameworks and ethical guidelines to ensure the responsible use of voice cloning technology.

Moreover, I appreciate the FTC’s broader commitment to managing the risks associated with AI technologies. The assurance that the FTC will utilize all available tools, including law enforcement, to protect consumers and competition is particularly reassuring. This comprehensive approach is vital for ensuring that AI’s potential is realized in a way that benefits society as a whole.

In conclusion, I fully support the FTC’s efforts through the Voice Cloning Challenge and look forward to seeing the innovative solutions that emerge from this initiative. It is crucial that we continue to foster such collaborative efforts to ensure the ethical and beneficial use of emerging technologies.

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