As campaign season gears up, AI-generated ads are everywhere
AI-generated political advertisements are becoming increasingly common in local and state-level elections across the United States. Candidates are expressing concern over the lack of consent in how their likenesses are used, while proponents argue these tools are cost-effective and often intended for parody.
Why it matters
The rise of AI in political campaigning raises significant ethical and regulatory questions regarding misinformation and digital consent.
Jessica Bichler is running for North Carolina state Senate this fall. The district where she's campaigning, in and around Wilmington, is deep purple, and she knew it was going to be a tough fight.
But even she was surprised when she appeared in an ad from her opponent, Republican incumbent state Sen. Michael Lee. The ad showed an AI-generated Bichler contorting her body into bizarre shapes, while making claims about her stances on policing and healthcare.
"I feel like I kind of hardened myself for some teasing and things like that, but the AI kind of took me aback," the real-life Bichler, who also owns a yoga studio, told NPR. "It was my face, it was my body moving around, but it was not anything I'd ever consented to or participated in creating."
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