REAL Act
- Bill Number
- H.R. 6571
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 1
- Policy Area
- Government Operations and Politics
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2025-12-10: Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.
- Last Updated
- 2026-01-08T17:49:52Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose
The Responsible and Ethical AI Labeling Act (REAL Act), H.R. 6571, aims to promote transparency in government communications by requiring federal officials to disclose when content they publish or release was created or altered using generative artificial intelligence (AI). This ensures the public can distinguish between human-generated and AI-influenced materials, fostering trust and ethical use of AI in official duties.
Key Provisions
- Disclosure Requirement: Federal officials are prohibited from publishing, sharing, or releasing content created or manipulated by generative AI without including a clear disclaimer. The disclaimer must be:
- Prominently displayed and easy to notice.
- Written in simple, everyday language.
- Include: (1) a statement that the content was made or changed using generative AI; (2) a short description of how it was generated or altered; and (3) a brief explanation of the AI technology or method used.
- Exceptions: The rule does not apply to:
- Internal communications not meant for the public.
- Classified content, as long as the agency keeps an internal summary that complies with disclosure rules for any unclassified versions.
- Minor visual edits (e.g., adjusting brightness or cropping) that do not change the content's meaning, if no other AI manipulation is involved.
- Routine text drafts created with AI tools for efficiency, if reviewed and approved by agency staff before release.
- Personal, non-official content shared on private social media or other platforms unrelated to job duties.
- Implementation and Enforcement:
- The Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) must issue regulations within 180 days of enactment to guide compliance and standardize disclaimer formats for different media (e.g., text, images, videos).
- The President, Vice President, and agency heads must submit annual compliance audits to Congress and post them on public websites (White House site for the President/Vice President; agency sites for others), starting 180 days after enactment.
- If violations are found (by the President, Vice President, agency head, or Comptroller General), the content must be retracted where possible, and a public statement issued explaining the error, its causes, and (if needed) a corrected version shared with the original audience.
- Penalties and Accountability:
- Within 30 days of a violation confirmed by the Comptroller General or an agency Inspector General, a corrective action plan must be submitted to OMB and Congress.
- If plans are ignored or violations continue, the Comptroller General reviews and mandates fixes within 30 days.
- Federal employees may face discipline under standard personnel rules (e.g., suspension or removal).
- Contractors can face restrictions, contract termination, or other penalties decided by the agency head.
- Definitions:
- Agency: Any federal executive branch entity, including the Executive Office of the President (as defined in U.S. law).
- Federal Official: The President, Vice President, or any agency officer or employee.
- Generative Artificial Intelligence: AI systems that use learned patterns from data to create or modify digital content (e.g., text, images, videos, audio) in unpredictable ways.
- Effective Date: The law takes effect 90 days after enactment.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
This bill introduces entirely new federal requirements for AI disclosure in official communications, which were not previously mandated. It builds on general government transparency laws (e.g., those requiring accurate public information) but specifically targets generative AI, adding enforcement mechanisms like mandatory disclaimers, audits, and penalties absent in current statutes.
Potential Impacts
- Government Agencies: Agencies must develop new policies, train staff on AI tools and disclosure rules, and conduct regular audits, increasing administrative workload and costs. Non-compliance could lead to public retractions and disciplinary actions, potentially slowing content creation processes.
- Citizens: Enhances public trust by making it easier to identify AI-influenced government materials, reducing risks of misinformation from official sources. This could empower citizens to critically evaluate federal publications, such as reports, social media posts, or press releases.
- International Relations: Minimal direct impact, but it could position the U.S. as a leader in ethical AI governance, influencing global standards for official AI use and encouraging similar transparency in diplomatic communications.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Federal Officials and Employees: Directly responsible for compliance; face potential discipline for violations.
- Government Agencies: Must implement rules, conduct audits, and handle corrections; includes the Executive Office of the President.
- Contractors: Those creating content for agencies could face penalties or lost contracts if they fail to ensure proper disclosures.
- Congress: Receives reports and audits for oversight.
- The Public: Benefits from increased transparency but may encounter more visible disclaimers in government materials.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal: Establishes clear accountability for AI use in public-facing content, potentially reducing liability for misinformation claims against the government. It integrates with existing personnel laws for enforcement but introduces novel AI-specific definitions and exceptions to balance innovation with oversight.
- Constitutional: Supports First Amendment goals of informed public discourse by promoting transparency, without restricting speech—disclosures apply only to official duties. Exceptions for classified or personal content respect privacy and national security protections under the Constitution.
- Political: Encourages ethical AI adoption in government, which could mitigate partisan concerns over "deepfakes" or manipulated official statements, but may spark debates on overregulation of technology in bureaucratic processes. As a bipartisan bill (introduced by Reps. Foster and Sessions), it signals cross-aisle consensus on AI governance.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Cosponsors (1)
Recent Actions
- 2025-12-10: Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.
- 2025-12-10: Introduced in House
- 2025-12-10: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- Responsible and Ethical AI Labeling Act — issued 2025-12-10 — PDF (8 pages)