Robocall

A robocall is a phone call that plays a prerecorded or artificial voice message, and in common use it also means any unwanted automated call.

In legal terms, a robocall is a call made using an autodialer or an artificial or prerecorded voice. In everyday speech, people use the word for almost any unwanted automated call, especially scams.

Robocalls are not all illegal. Many are lawful and useful, such as a pharmacy refill reminder, a school closure alert, or a sales call to someone who gave written consent. What makes them illegal is missing consent, calling numbers on do-not-call lists without an exemption, spoofing the caller ID to deceive, or skipping required disclosures.

The FCC confirmed in February 2024 that AI-generated voices count as artificial voices. So an AI sales call is treated like a robocall for consent purposes.

Rules that apply to lawful robocalls include:

• Prior express written consent for telemarketing.
• Identifying the business at the start of the call.
• An automated opt-out option for telemarketing.
• Calling only within allowed hours.

Because carriers and analytics companies work hard to block illegal robocalls, legitimate callers can get caught in filters. The fix is not to disguise calls. It is to call consented leads, register your numbers, keep complaint rates low, and identify yourself clearly.

Sources

• 47 U.S.C. 227 (Cornell LII): https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/47/227 (accessed October 17, 2026)
• FCC, AI voices under the TCPA (Feb 2024): https://www.fcc.gov/document/fcc-confirms-tcpa-applies-ai-technologies-generate-human-voices (accessed October 17, 2026)
• 47 CFR 64.1200 (eCFR): https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-47/chapter-I/subchapter-B/part-64/subpart-L/section-64.1200 (accessed October 17, 2026)

This entry is general information, not legal advice.