AI political ads face scrutiny before midterms

New York state Democrats are urging the state Board of Elections to take legal action against Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman over his use of AI in campaign ads. Blakeman, a gubernatorial candidate challenging Gov. Kathy Hochul, has run ads that include AI-generated images of Hochul without the labels required under a new law.

Jennifer Stromer-Galley, a professor in the School of Information Studies at Syracuse University, said AI is also changing how propaganda spreads online. Research from the University of Southern California found that upgraded bots can set goals, build teams, write posts and learn from mistakes, with each post varied enough to look more authentic to social media users.

Stromer-Galley said the public generally struggles to distinguish AI-generated material from human-made content, raising concerns about disinformation before the midterm elections. She also noted that Congress has not passed federal laws regulating AI content in political ads or policy conversations, despite Democratic-backed proposals to restrict AI use or require disclaimers.