AI‑generated political ads are flooding the midterms, showing how generative AI can mass‑produce persuasive campaign content and sparking debate over misinformation and election integrity.
At least 220 ads— mostly Republican— generated or enhanced with artificial intelligence have circulated in the leadup to the midterms, at a cost of almost $137 million.
At least 220 political ads for the 2024 midterms were generated with or enhanced by AI, with a disproportionate share run by Republican campaigns. The ads were created using tools such as OpenAI’s DALL·E and Midjourney, and the total cost of these AI‑enhanced commercials reached $137 million. Viewers are required to see only minimal watermark disclosures that are difficult to spot, a practice the Federal Election Commission has criticized as insufficient. Among the most controversial pieces is a fabricated scene of South Carolina Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette undergoing a failing polygraph, a clip that was entirely algorithmically produced.
The rapid spread of AI‑generated videos pushes voters to employ paid fact‑checking services, with the average monthly subscription hovering near $10. These services help identify whether an ad contains fabricated footage before forming an opinion. For anyone who regularly watches campaign material, using such tools has become effectively mandatory.
This surge follows earlier deepfake incidents from the 2016 U.S. presidential race, such as the false audio of Barack Obama. Technologists note that generative AI converts the months-long production of convincing visual misinformation into a matter of seconds, a speed not seen in previous deepfake exploitation. Agencies have struggled to update election law, a gap that now spurs bipartisan proposals in Washington. Many observers point to the 2018 Fairness in Media Act as a flawed foundation that predated algorithmic fabrication.
On September 12, the House Judiciary Committee will unveil a draft rule banning undisclosed AI‑generated content in any political ad longer than 30 seconds. The rule also creates a public database of all AI‑produced political videos, a tool that could be accessed by watchdog groups. The draft is being advanced ahead of the midterm deadline, forcing parties to rethink their digital‑campaign workflows. Oddly, the proposal was prompted by an independent nonprofit—which receives no government funds—that already maintains a library of over 12,000 deepfakes.
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