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AI-based political ads spread through US election season, tracker finds

Al Jazeera reports that candidates and supporters spent more than $80 million on over 164 AI-based ads this election season, according to the Wesleyan Media Project.

The short version

  • Candidates and supporters spent more than $80 million on over 164 AI-based ads this election season, according to the Wesleyan Media Project.[Al Jazeera]
  • Republican candidates and their backers accounted for 80 percent of these AI-based political ads, according to the same tracker.[Al Jazeera]
  • Bruce Blakeman says his AI ads were clearly labeled satire, while no federal law regulates AI deepfake ads and 31 states have passed labeling laws.[Al Jazeera]

Key facts

  • Candidates and supporters spent more than $80 million on over 164 AI-based ads this election season, according to the Wesleyan Media Project.[Al Jazeera]
  • Republican candidates and their backers were behind 80 percent of AI-based political ads, according to the Wesleyan Media Project.[Al Jazeera]
  • Bruce Blakeman says his AI-generated campaign ads were clearly labeled and follow a tradition of satire and parody.[Al Jazeera]
  • No federal law regulates ads made with AI deepfakes, while 31 states have passed laws calling for AI ads to be labeled.[Al Jazeera]

What remains uncertain

  • Reporting does not confirm how many of the AI-based ads are deepfakes, so the tracker's totals may not match the deepfake framing.[Al Jazeera]

Sources

Outlet counts describe coverage, not independent confirmation. Reports may share a wire service or original source.