The AI attack-ad nightmare is coming true

The specter of AI-powered political ads is becoming increasingly real, with a surge in their usage during the 2022 midterm elections. According to the Wesleyan Media Project, $137 million was spent on 220 AI-generated ads through October 11, with a majority of these being from Republican campaigns.

Several states have enacted legislation to regulate the use of AI-generated deepfakes in political ads, yet no federal law specifically addresses this issue. In Georgia, Senate Leadership Fund ran AI-generated deepfake ads mocking Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff, depicting him undergoing cosmetic procedures and making false claims about his campaign spending.

In Michigan, a super PAC utilized AI to create a fabricated family photo for Democratic candidate Abdul El-Sayed, featuring him in a board game with his half-sister and a podcaster. The ad included cards with statements like "Death to America" and "Celebrate 9/11."

New York Republican Bruce Blakeman's campaign has employed generative AI in ads attacking Democratic Governor Kathy Hochul, with varying levels of disclosure. One ad showed the Tooth Fairy struggling to afford children's gifts in a Hochul-run New York.

In Pennsylvania, Republican candidate Stacy Garrity's campaign released an AI-generated ad featuring a quote attributed to Democratic Governor Josh Shapiro, claiming that the ad was created using AI and data centers.

Texas Democrat James Talarico has faced numerous AI-generated ads from Republican Ken Paxton's campaign and outside super PACs, depicting Talarico in defamatory scenarios such as defacing a Bible. Talarico has called for a ban on AI deepfake videos in political campaigns, arguing that they mislead voters and erode trust in political discourse.