AI Fraud Accountability Act

Summary#

This bill, the AI Fraud Accountability Act of 2026, makes it illegal to use computer-generated or altered audio or visual depictions to impersonate a real or an imaginary person to commit fraud across state or international lines. It adds a new subsection to the Communications Act of 1934 defining "digital impersonation" and "identifiable individual," creates a criminal offense for using such impersonations with intent to defraud, sets penalties of fines and up to 3 years in prison, and provides for criminal forfeiture and extraterritorial jurisdiction. The bill treats the same conduct as an unfair or deceptive practice that the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) may enforce civilly. It requires the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to convene a working group to develop best practices for detecting and tracing digital impersonations, hold at least one public workshop, publish guidance within one year, and review and update those best practices annually for up to 10 years. The bill also directs the FTC, in coordination with the Attorney General and Secretary of State, to identify the top foreign countries where violations originate and to pursue international agreements and cooperation; the Attorney General must review and update international law enforcement agreements periodically. Finally, the bill says it does not restrict parody, satire, journalism, or other First Amendment protections.

What it means for you#

• If someone uses AI or other technology to create an audio or visual impersonation meant to be taken as real and to steal money or other value, that person could face criminal charges and civil enforcement by the FTC.
• The law applies to impersonations of real people or realistic "imaginary" persons that are indistinguishable to a reasonable viewer or listener.
• Lawful authorized investigations and intelligence activities are exempt.
• NIST will publish best practices that companies, investigators, and others can use to detect and trace digital impersonations.
• The FTC and Justice Department will work on international cooperation and report to Congress about their efforts.

Expenses#

No publicly available information on the bill's estimated costs to the federal government or to private parties is included in the provided text or metadata.

Proponents' View#

No publicly available information in the bill text or provided metadata describes supporters' arguments or stated benefits.

Opponents' View#

No publicly available information in the bill text or provided metadata describes opponents' arguments or stated concerns.