BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KBAK/KBFX) — Artificial intelligence is finding its way into every facet of our lives, so it comes as no surprise that it's increasingly being used in political campaigns, raising questions among experts about whether AI-driven messaging is the future of campaigning.
Earlier this month, videos supporting Republican Spencer Pratt’s Los Angeles mayoral campaign went viral online. The videos portray current Mayor Karen Bass as a fantasy-style villain and show Los Angeles in chaotic, fire-filled scenes created using artificial intelligence. One line in the videos says, “If you liked the last 4 years, you're going to love the next 4.”
While the viral videos were not official campaign ads, some candidates are using AI in campaign material they directly endorse, including State Board of Equalization candidate Yvonne Yiu.
AI-generated political videos raise questions about the future of campaigning
Political science professor Nate Monroe said the technology is rapidly changing how campaigns communicate with voters. “The ability to produce the same content that you would have wanted to produce in a campaign 2 years ago, or especially 4 years ago, has both gotten cheaper and has fewer boundaries,” Monroe said.
AI-generated political content is also appearing in Kern County. A local political action committee recently sent a text message featuring an AI-generated advertisement supporting Measure A. The message said, “It’s time for Kern County to have more local control.”
To demonstrate how quickly this kind of content can be created, Bakersfieldnow News Anchor Michael Patterson used several publicly available AI tools to sample a get-out-the-vote video. The process took only a few minutes.
“Things have changed in the last 20 years at a rate that was different than any other similar period in modern political history,” Monroe said. “Every cycle is changing and I just don't know when we're going to see the end of that.”
The speed of the technology is also creating challenges for lawmakers. According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, some states have passed laws targeting certain AI-generated political content, including deepfakes. In California, parts of a recent law regulating some AI-generated election content were temporarily blocked by a federal judge during a constitutional challenge.
Despite the rapid changes, Monroe said voters should approach online content the same way they always have — with caution. “As much as possible, you are responsible for information you allow to affect your decisions. AI doesn't change that,” he said. “If you think you're going to use it as part of your decision, double check it quickly.”