Campaign advertisements featuring AI-generated clips and images have become prevalent in American elections. This practice is largely unregulated and is changing the norms of political campaigning, raising concerns about the distinction between truth and fiction. Some campaigns disclose their use of AI, but this is not mandatory.
The Texas Senate race has seen notable use of AI in attack ads, including one targeting Democratic nominee James Talarico by a group aligned with former President Trump. This ad features Talarico in a dress singing about transgender children. The National Republican Senatorial Committee previously used AI to depict Talarico reading real social media posts, although the video was manipulated.
AI usage is not limited to Texas; it has also been observed in the GOP primary in Kentucky's 4th district, where both sides employed AI in various ads. In Georgia, gubernatorial candidate Brad Raffensperger used AI to portray his opponents in exaggerated scenarios. Other candidates, including Democrats, have also utilized AI in their advertisements, showcasing a range of creative but potentially misleading content.