{
  "id": 15857569,
  "title": "Political campaigns have poured $137 million on AI-made ads ahead of a crucial midterm—after spending virtually nothing last election cycle",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/21/political-campaigns-have-poured-137-million-on-ai-made-ads-ahead-of-a",
  "topic": "ai",
  "section": "AI",
  "published": "2026-10-21T07:00:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Fortune",
    "slug": "fortune",
    "url": "https://fortune.com/2026/10/21/political-campaigns-ai-advertisement-spending-137-million-republicans-misinformation/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Two years ago, political campaigns showed virtually no interest in using artificial intelligence (AI) in election ads. However, according to a report by the Wesleyan Media Project, over $137 million was spent on AI-generated political videos ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. This marks a significant increase from the less than $50,000 spent on AI ads during the 2024 campaign cycle.\n\nTravis Ridout, co-director of the Wesleyan Media Project and a professor of political science at Washington State University, expressed shock at the rapid growth of AI in political advertising. Ridout highlighted the election cycle's importance and the pervasiveness of AI in content creation. He emphasized that the unregulated use of AI without proper disclosure has raised concerns about the spread of misinformation.\n\nThe report found that more than 70% of AI campaign videos lacked a disclaimer indicating AI generation. One notable example came from a Texas Senate race between Democrat James Talarico and Republican Ken Paxton. Paxton's campaign aired an ad showing an AI-generated Talarico delivering a fabricated monologue on God and gender. Talarico vowed to ban AI deepfakes through legislation, calling them misleading and lying about a candidate.\n\nWhile AI ads have primarily targeted high-profile campaigns, their prevalence poses potential risks beyond individual elections, potentially influencing the psychology of elections more broadly. As Ridout warned, candidates may dedicate more time to combating misinformation rather than promoting their platforms.\n\nRepublican campaigns or political action committees were responsible for 81% of the AI-generated ads and 88% of the spending. Ridout attributed this to the party's more accepting view of AI technology, largely due to its support from leaders like former President Donald Trump. Despite initial reluctance due to ethical concerns, Republican voters seem more receptive to AI-generated ads, possibly due to their alignment with existing political views.\n\nHowever, attitudes toward AI are evolving, which could lead to a shift in how voters perceive AI campaign ads. A Gallup poll found that 70% of Americans oppose data center construction in their local area, including 75% of Democrats and 63% of Republicans. This sentiment was echoed by a protester in Sugarloaf Township, Pennsylvania, who expressed a sense of unity among those opposing such projects.\n\nWhile some candidates see AI ads as a cost-effective solution to create videos, the technology is still in its early stages, with ads defying clear logic and voter attitudes. One example is a Pennsylvania Republican candidate for governor, Stacy Garrity, who used AI to depict Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro as a supporter of AI data centers, a deliberate paradox illustrating the technology's integration into advertisements. Ridout emphasized that the political world is still navigating this new reality.",
  "summary": "More than 70% of AI campaign videos did not contain a disclaimer or disclosure that they were generated by or contain AI, a new report found.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}