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A bipartisan pair of House lawmakers introduced a bill on Wednesday to require federal agencies and officials to label any AI-generated content posted using official government channels.
The Responsible and Ethical AI Labeling (REAL) Act, proposed by Reps. Bill Foster, D-Ill., and Pete Sessions, R-Texas, would mandate that the government “clearly label” any AI-generated images or videos published by an agency, or any AI-generated text that is not reviewed by a human before publication, according to a press release.
The bill states that AI content must include a “clear, conspicuous, and prominently displayed” disclaimer informing viewers that the content was created with or manipulated by AI.
The disclaimer must be written in plain English and easily understandable, according to the bill.
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“In an age of disinformation, Americans should be able to trust that information coming from official government sources is legitimate and based in reality,” Foster said in a statement. “With the rapid proliferation of AI-generated content, there must be clear guidelines to ensure those at our federal agencies and in our nation’s highest office are not using AI in a way that could purposefully or inadvertently mislead the American public.”
The bill applies to the president, vice president and officials and employees at federal agencies.
Exceptions to the proposed requirement would include content that was not intended for public release or was created for classified purposes, as well as material that uses AI for any “basic graphic or visual element” such as a text overlay, formatting or other minor adjustments to visual media that “does not materially alter the meaning or context of the content and the content does not otherwise contain content created or manipulated using generative artificial intelligence.”
AI-enabled text drafting software used to enhance efficiency would also be exempt from the measure’s requirements.
Sessions said the bill “brings greater transparency and accountability to the federal government’s use of artificial intelligence.”
“Our bill requires federal agencies and officials to clearly disclose when text, images, audio, or video shared with the public in their official capacity has been generated or manipulated using AI,” he said. “This legislation protects agencies’ ability to use AI internally while ensuring that anything released publicly is clearly and consistently labeled. It is a commonsense step to maintain trust and strengthen transparency in government communications.”
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The bill comes as federal officials, including President Donald Trump and members of his administration, have been increasingly publishing AI-generated content on social media.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom has also shared AI-generated content online, and former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo used AI in campaign ads during his failed New York City mayoral bid.
