Wisconsin AI laws for political campaigns

Political ads and deepfakes

Does Wisconsin regulate AI in political ads?

Yes. 2023 Wisconsin Act 123 (AB 664, signed March 21, 2024, effective March 23, 2024) added Wis. Stat. 11.1303(2m). Any audio or video communication that already needs a "Paid for by" attribution and contains express advocacy, issue advocacy, or referendum advocacy must disclose synthetic media, defined as audio or video content substantially produced in whole or in part by generative AI. There is no ban, no election window, and no intent requirement: it is a labeling rule. Intentional violations carry a forfeiture up to $1,000 each, enforced through the Ethics Commission process; broadcasters and hosts are not liable unless they are the responsible committee. Key law (AB 664 (2023 Wisconsin Act 123), Wis. Stat. 11.1303(2m)).

For campaigns and consultants

Before an AI ad runs in Wisconsin

• If any audio or video in a paid ad was substantially produced with generative AI (cloned voice, AI narrator, AI-generated footage), add the statutory AI disclaimer. This applies year-round, not just near elections.
• Audio, including AI-voiced robocalls and voicemail drops paid for by a committee: say "Contains content generated by AI." at the beginning and at the end.
• Video: pick the right on-screen line (video only, audio only, or both) and keep it up for every AI segment.
• Keep the regular "Paid for by" attribution too; the AI line is in addition to it.
• A disclaimer does not make a false statement about a candidate legal under Wis. Stat. 12.05.

AI voice calls and texts

Can a campaign use AI voice calls in Wisconsin?

Wisconsin has no ban on political robocalls, and its telephone solicitation law (Wis. Stat. 100.52, including the bar on prerecorded messages without consent) covers only calls encouraging purchases. But Act 123 reaches AI voices directly: a paid political call or voicemail that is an audio communication requiring attribution and uses AI-generated voice content must say "Contains content generated by AI." at the beginning and end. Federal TCPA rules on artificial voices also apply.

Federal floor everywhere: AI-generated voices are “artificial” voices under the TCPA (FCC, February 2024), so they need prior express consent to cell phones and must identify the caller at the start of the call. AI robocall laws in every state

Federal layer

Federal rules that apply in Wisconsin

At the federal level, the binding rules that hit AI in campaigns today are the TCPA and FCC robocall rules, not any AI-specific election law. Since February 2024 the FCC treats AI-generated voices as "artificial" voices, so AI voice calls to cell phones need prior express consent (political calls included), AI or prerecorded political calls to landlines are limited to three per 30 days without consent, and every such message must identify the caller, give a callback number and offer an opt-out. The FEC says its existing fraudulent misrepresentation ban covers AI, but it has had no quorum since April 2025 and cannot enforce. Proposed FCC rules on AI disclosure in broadcast political ads and in AI calls were never adopted, and no federal AI political ad disclaimer bill has passed. Federal efforts to preempt state AI laws (a 2025 moratorium the Senate struck 99 to 1, and Executive Order 14365) have not displaced any state election or robocall law as of October 2026.

FCC, FEC and the federal preemption fight

How Wisconsin compares

25 other jurisdictions share Wisconsin's status (disclosure):

Alabama · Arizona · Colorado · Delaware · Florida · Idaho · Indiana · Kentucky · Louisiana · Maine · Michigan · Mississippi · Montana · Nevada · New Hampshire · New Mexico · New York · North Dakota · Oregon · Rhode Island · South Dakota · Tennessee · Utah · Vermont · Washington

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