California AI-voice robocall disclosure (AB 2905)
California · Cal. Pub. Util. Code § 2874, as amended by AB 2905 (Chapter 316, 2024) · effective 2025-01-01
Summary
Before an automatic dialing-announcing device plays a prerecorded message, a live natural voice must give the nature of the call and the business's name, address and phone number, ask whether the person agrees to hear the message, and say so if the message uses an artificial voice. An artificial voice is one generated or significantly altered using AI. The law speaks of prerecorded messages and does not say how it treats a live conversational AI agent.
Who must comply
Anyone placing calls with an automatic dialing-announcing device: equipment that stores or generates numbers and plays a prerecorded message.
What you must disclose
An unrecorded, natural voice announcement with the nature of the call, the business's name, address and phone number, a question asking for consent to hear the message, and a statement that the message uses an artificial voice, if it does.
When: Before the prerecorded message plays.
Other duties
- These calls need a prior agreement with the person called or this live announcement (§ 2873).
- No calls received in California between 9pm and 9am (§ 2872).
- Apply to the phone company before connecting the device (§ 2875).
Exemptions
- A device not used to dial randomly or in sequence that only messages an established customer or associate, and calls the recipient asked for.
- Schools, tax-exempt groups contacting members, and cable and utility companies, for the purposes listed in § 2872.
- Public safety and emergency calls by the agencies listed in § 2872.
Penalties
A fine up to $500 per violation, disconnection of the device's phone service, or both, set by the Public Utilities Commission.