The midterm elections are anticipated to be the first election cycle where artificial intelligence (AI) deepfakes play a significant role. This trend is expected to grow as election day approaches. AI is primarily utilized in attack ads against opponents, often depicting them in a negative light. A notable instance is in the Texas Senate race, where the Republican PAC Citizens for Sanity funded an ad campaign featuring a deepfake of Democratic candidate James Talarico. The ad portrays Talarico in a dress singing a parody of 'Favorite Things' with altered lyrics.
In the Texas Senate primary, various candidates, including incumbent Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX), Ken Paxton, and Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-TX), have employed AI in their advertisements. The Kentucky 4th District Republican primary, noted as the most expensive primary race in history, featured an AI-generated ad showing incumbent Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) in a fictional romance with Reps. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY). Although the ad disclosed its satirical nature and AI use, not all ads in the cycle provided such transparency.
Some AI ads have faced criticism for being misleading, including one of Crockett’s ads that exaggerated her crowd size. In a more unconventional approach, Alabama Lt. Gov. runoff candidate Wes Allen created an ad featuring an AI-generated raccoon claiming to be the pet of his opponent John Wahl. The raccoon made various accusations against Wahl, including using a fake ID to cheat in elections. This ad, which stemmed from a rumor about Wahl’s fiancée having a pet raccoon, was widely criticized as bizarre and creepy.
There are indications that the proliferation of AI attack ads may be curtailed by potential legislative actions from Democrats. Reports suggest that if Democrats achieve significant victories in November, they may pursue legislation to ban or restrict the use of AI in advertisements.