AI political ads can use artificial intelligence to generate or manipulate content, customize messages, and target specific voters. Deceptive types of AI in political ads include “deepfakes” which are deceptively realistic audio, video, or images created or manipulated by AI to depict people doing or saying things they never did. For example, in the 2024 election cycle, an AI-generated robocall used a fake voice resembling President Joe Biden to discourage voters in New Hampshire, and another used AI to create a video of Chuck Schumer saying a quote he said in print.

AI synthesizes voter data to generate and deliver highly personalized ad copy and messages. It can craft different versions of an ad to resonate with different demographics, allowing campaigns to operate on a massive scale with lower costs. AI is also used for behind-the-scenes functions like generating email lists, drafting fundraising appeals, and performing voter sentiment analysis. Supporters say AI is efficient, inexpensive, and helps smaller campaigns. Critics claim AI can be deceptive, biased, and its use in political advertising is fraught with risks and ethical challenges.

Pending legislation: S.1213 - Protect Elections from Deceptive AI Act
Sponsor: Sen. Amy Klobuchar (MN)
Status: Senate Committee on Rules and Administration
Chair: Sen. Mitch McConnell (KY)

• I oppose reforming current AI political ads policy and wish to donate resources to the campaign committee of Leader John Thune (SD).
• I support prohibiting the distribution of deceptive, AI-generated media about federal candidates for the purpose of influencing an election or soliciting funds by:
  
  1.) Making it illegal to knowingly distribute materially deceptive AI-generated audio or visual media related to federal candidates. This ban applies to individuals, political committees, and other entities that create such content to influence an election or solicit funds.
  
  2.) Defining deceptive AI-generated media as content that appears authentic but would fundamentally alter a reasonable person's understanding of a candidate's appearance, speech, or conduct.
  
  3.) Allowing federal candidates whose voice or likeness is used in deceptive AI content to bring a civil lawsuit and seek an injunction to have the content removed and to pursue damages.
  
  4.) Protecting free speech by providing for news broadcasts that include clear disclaimers, as well as for satire and parody.
  
  5.) Requiring the plaintiff to establish the violation through "clear and convincing evidence" in civil actions.
  
  And wish to donate resources to the campaign committee of Sen. Mitch McConnell (KY) and/or to an advocate group currently working with this issue.