Etzioni on AI: $137M Spent on AI-Generated Midterm Ads, and Most Voters Can’t Spot the Fakes
Researchers say 220 AI-assisted ads have flooded the midterms, while only 27% carried disclosures and Republican sponsors drove most of the spending.
- The Wesleyan Media Project identified more than 220 political ads using artificial intelligence during the 2026 midterm season, with Republican campaigns and GOP-aligned PACs accounting for over 80% of these ads and more than $137 million in spending.
- Republican candidates and groups have rushed to adopt the technology, using AI tools to create stock footage and depict opponents alongside polarizing figures, significantly reducing production costs from nearly $2 million to about $200,000 per ad.
- Researchers found that about 70% of reviewed ads lacked disclaimers, with nearly half featuring deepfakes of real politicians. New York gubernatorial candidate Bruce Blakeman published an AI-generated ad depicting Gov. Kathy Hochul and Mayor Zohran Mamdani promoting a satirical "political delusion pill."
- Democratic candidates, who sponsored just 12% of identified ads, remain wary of the technology due to reputational risks and voter concerns. Texas Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico explicitly labeled his content as "Made by humans, not AI."
- With midterms just over two weeks away, only 30 states mandate AI disclosures for political advertisements. Political consultants are actively lobbying against federal rules that would override state-level requirements and force labeling on all AI content.
61 Articles
61 Articles
AI-Driven Disinformation Running Rampant On Social Media Before US Midterms
By George ChidiOctober 27, 2026Social media companies including Meta have pulled back on efforts to protect voters from election-meddling lies.Social media feeds are awash with an unprecedented flood of AI-driven disinformation ahead of November’s US midterm elections, according to experts, who warn many posts are likely “slipping through the cracks”.As tens of millions of Americans prepare to cast their vote, social media companies have scaled …
AI disinformation is outpacing platform moderation before US midterms
AI-generated election misinformation is spreading across social media ahead of the US midterm elections, and experts warn that much of it may be escaping detection as platforms scale back human moderation and rely more heavily on automated systems. AI tools make it cheap to produce convincing fake images, videos, and claims in large volumes. Meanwhile, […] This story continues at The Next Web
$137M AI Ad Deluge Hits US Midterms as Fake 'Death to America' and 'Celebrate 9/11' Scenes Target Candidates
Political campaigns and outside groups have spent more than £103 million on AI-generated or AI-assisted adverts in the US midterms, with fabricated scenes targeting Democratic candidates and limited disclosure.
AI ad blitz distorts US midterms
Reality-bending deepfake ads -- dubbed AI "slopaganda" by researchers and used by both sides of the political aisle to target rivals -- are proliferating across the airwaves and social media ahead of the November 3 vote. "His family values are wrong for Michigan," said one ad that portrays Democratic candidate Abdul El-Sayed playing a board game with two people wearing traditional kaffiyehs, the checkered Arab scarves. The lifelike ad features c…
AI ad blitz distorts US midterms 2026
AI-generated political advertisements are becoming more prevalent as the November elections approach, raising concerns among voters. Researchers have identified over 220 ads made partly with AI, primarily sponsored by Republican groups, costing over $137 million. Only a small percentage of these advertisements carry disclaimers stating they were created with AI technology. Many voters express their disapproval of AI-generated content in politica…
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