The rise of AI election ads in US midterms campaign
Researchers say AI-generated ads are appearing in the US midterms in unprecedented numbers; a study identified 220 such spots, about 80 percent from Republican candidates or groups, ahead of November's elections.
AI-generated advertisements are appearing in the US midterm election campaign in unprecedented numbers, researchers say, with BBC Verify tracking dozens of examples ahead of the November elections.
The BBC reports that some of the ads are funded by outside political groups, while others have been released directly by candidates in key races. A study by a research group that tracks political advertising identified 220 ads using AI in the current campaign and found that about 80 percent came from Republican candidates or groups.
One researcher told the BBC there had been an "explosion" of AI-generated ads this campaign season, with new ones appearing almost every day. Campaigns use the technology for two reasons, the report says: it gets attention and it saves money, allowing teams to do more with less.
The trend is visible in the closely watched Texas Senate race, where an ad from Republican Ken Paxton's campaign targeted Democratic rival James Talarico. Talarico responded that Paxton was lying about his record and releasing fake AI videos of him.
The report also detected AI-generated ads from Democrats, including material supporting Ohio congresswoman Marcy Kaptur, showing the tactic is being used on both sides of the aisle.
Source: BBC News — Top Stories — TrendWire reports stories in its own words; facts should be confirmed against the original source.