In a provocative new campaign advertisement targeting New York Governor Kathy Hochul, the narrative depicts her warmly greeting undocumented immigrants at an upscale hotel, strolling through a park where unhoused individuals are visible, and mingling with affluent donors at a lavish dinner. The ad culminates with Hochul asserting that the state “ended cash bail to stop punishing individuals who commit heinous crimes against New Yorkers, like this nice young man.”
Just outside a New York City police precinct, a tattooed individual provocatively asks Hochul, “Want some crack?” The advertisement concludes with the slogan “Criminals, Cronies, and Illegal Immigrants for Hochul” displayed prominently, along with a critical yet often overlooked disclaimer stating, “Paid for by Blakeman for New York. This video includes AI-generated imagery.”
None of the content showcased in the ad is authentic. From the hotel to the park and even the interactions depicted, everything is fabricated, including an artificial intelligence-generated version of Hochul, caricaturing her in a way that serves her Republican challenger, Bruce Blakeman, the Nassau County Executive, in the upcoming election.
Blakeman defended his usage of AI tools during an interview with PIX11, remarking, “I use every tool available. AI excels at crafting engaging videos on significant political matters. We sometimes incorporate humor and satire, a tactic employed in politics dating back to George Washington.”
The employment of AI in political campaigns is gaining traction across the country. In Los Angeles, a campaign ad for Republican candidate Spencer Pratt features women in a Pilates class subtly discussing their support for him (Pratt ultimately lost). Meanwhile, in Texas, a Democratic Senate candidate, James Talarico, appears in an AI-generated ad dressed as Maria from "The Sound of Music," performing a reimagined version of “My Favorite Things” focusing on the transgender community.
However, the alarming trend of employing AI is raising concerns among voters nationwide. As this technology evolves, distinguishing between genuine and fabricated content is becoming increasingly challenging. Studies indicate that people struggle to recognize AI-generated images, especially if there’s only a small disclaimer at the end, like that in Blakeman's ad. Many might mistakenly perceive the video as authentic rather than a distorted representation of Hochul.
The issue extends beyond simple misinformation—AI-generated distortions can skew the truth. Republican users of this technology have labelled it as an exercise in free political speech, but it ventures into ambiguous legal territory. Furthermore, the creation of morally questionable images, often bordering on racism, underscores the ethical dilemmas at play. Notably, during the 2025 New York City mayoral election, Zohran Mamdani was depicted eating rice with his hands by the Andrew Cuomo campaign, while former President Trump once circulated a video portraying Barack and Michelle Obama in an offensive light.
Given AI’s lack of moral reasoning, the burden falls on politicians to decide what content is suitable for public consumption, a concern that raises alarms within the political landscape.
Addressing the situation calls for governmental regulations on AI use in political advertisement. While it may appear that Republicans have been producing more overtly offensive content, Democrats will inevitably be compelled to use these tactics if unregulated.
Despite the implausibility that anyone would take the Hochul ad at face value, some individuals might. Educating the public on how to identify deepfakes remains important, but the primary solution lies in regulatory measures.
