Manipulated by the Message: How AI-Driven Political Advertising is Teasing Election Reality
Written by Analise Bruno
There's never been a better time to run for office–unless you're competing against an AI robot with unlimited campaign strategies.
With over 60 countries gearing up to hit the polls this year, candidates and advisors are pulling out every last trick to sway the vote. However, humans aren’t the only players in this high-stakes game. Enter the AI bots, the unsung heroes (or perhaps the sneaky villains) behind the scenes. These digital masterminds are orchestrating campaigns with razor-sharp algorithms and strategic finesse, plotting their moves with precision.
Generally speaking, election season has always been grounds for internet-breaking memes and buffets of half-truths — the complexity of this chaos has reached new heights with the advancement of artificial intelligence, particularly in the advertising world.
Political candidates have historically thrown everything but the kitchen sink at people in an attempt to gauge public opinion using formulaic strategies that frequently fall short. They've plastered posters on lawns and flooded screens with advertisements, yet they're left wondering if anyone is really listening. How to develop ads that genuinely connect rather than become lost in the cacophony of daily life is the age-old advertiser's dilemma.
The same pressing question arises during each election cycle: how can one cut through the confusion and make an impact that truly counts? In this fiercely competitive game of visibility and resonance, standing out is like attempting to be heard over the yelling cries of football fans in a stadium. Candidates must navigate the hazy waters of public opinion while racing against the time and coming up with ideas that are both creative and effective.
Finding that elusive sweet spot where authenticity and engagement meet is a clear challenge amidst the deluge of messages and the constant onslaught of media. The art of persuasion has become a delicate dance in this era of information overload, and those who are skilled at it will win hearts and votes in addition to attention. The stakes are higher than ever as the political circus arrives in town. Will the next campaign be a spectacle or only a passing reverberation in the chaos of the election craze?
Campaign channels have also evolved with the ever-changing form of mass media. From the golden age of radio to the rise of television, political advertising has undergone a remarkable transformation. Now, with the explosion of free social media platforms, the reach of these messages is more powerful than ever.
With the voting audience larger than ever, candidates are eager to connect directly with their target demographics to deliver key messages and secure votes. The solution? Enter artificial intelligence. By harnessing the power of data, candidates can gain invaluable insights, crafting tailored outreach that resonates deeply with voters. Imagine campaigns that adapt in real-time, fostering genuine conversations that make voters feel heard and valued.
AI, for instance, can analyze interactions with remarkable accuracy and determine which headlines, phrases, and images elicit the greatest interaction. However, it lacks the emotional nuance and inventive spark that propel genuine innovation, thus it still lacks the human touch. Because of this nuance gap, AI finds it difficult to solve issues in novel, creative ways or to succeed in creative fields where human intuition is paramount. Although it can analyze data and refine tactics, the creativity of actual people gives concepts life and creates stories that have a deeper emotional impact. With that in mind, there is no doubt AI is a powerful tool that can both inhibit and enhance this process.
Indeed, specialists in artificial intelligence predicted that the emergence of this technology would change the course of the 2024 election, but what really happened was completely unexpected. They anticipated the rise of lifelike robocalls and AI deepfakes that would be so convincing that voters would find it difficult to tell the difference between them. The level of ridiculousness that would follow, however, was something they never saw coming. Voters and experts were left reeling as the political arena turned into a surreal circus where the boundaries between fact and fiction blurred spectacularly, from weird campaign posters with hyper-realistic avatars to ludicrous stories that were completely made up.
AI tools pose a formidable threat to democracy in a multitude of ways. Deepfake audio, video, and photos may lead to more viral moments involving fictitious scandals or artificial flaws, further distorting the national dialogue during election season. Malicious actors flood online platforms with countless posts using language models, creating a deceptive impression of misleading electoral narratives and political agendas.
The creation of controversial political content has been transformed by generative AI, which enables campaigns to react to trends quickly and affordably. Anyone with an internet connection can create engaging images using AI-powered picture generators, which not only magnify messages but also spark online interaction and instantly shape narratives. This increased accessibility enables political advertising strategies to stay flexible and current, easily using the newest trends to influence public opinion with a never-before-seen impact. Creativity and strategy meet in this dynamic environment, making it simpler than ever to draw attention and influence opinions in the quick-paced digital sphere.
This situation mirrors that of a test done by NewsGuard General Manager Matt Skibinski. After feeding ChatGPT a fake prompt about a “local” election for a “local” newspaper, he found the bot churned out a completely fabricated story. Not only did it make up the town newspaper at the center of the story, The Madison Times Index, but it also pulled imaginary quotes from people who don’t exist, almost as if it were writing its own fairytale. But forging characters and situations is one thing. The complexity to be wary of here is AI’s unique ability to fabricate values and visions being spread about a potential political candidate.
No harm, no fowl — Skibinski’s example was merely a test run. However, the incredible importance and power of AI in manipulating and reconstructing election information online is highlighted by the tremendous ingenuity needed to create a completely fictitious reality.
In the real world, campaigns using AI run the danger of obscuring their main message. This software creates advertising messages based on what it determines will best suit the interests and preferences of a specific voter or group. It’s expected to spotlight different issues and even shift positions depending on the targeted voter groups. Simply said, artificial intelligence lacks the level of internal consistency of a human advertising team. As the degree of human monitoring decreases, the difficulty increases, leaving a campaign ignorant of all the promises and assertions made by its AI-generated advertisements.
If candidates continue to use AI in their ads, voters may become more and more disillusioned with the democratic process. They may begin to doubt the legitimacy of other candidates and the basic basis of democracy as a result of this manipulation, which can swiftly undermine trust. Artificial intelligence's skillfully produced disinformation could therefore have a lasting impact on upcoming elections, possibly lowering voter turnout and disenfranchising a generation. We must address these issues at this crucial moment before it's too late because failing to take action to protect the integrity of our democratic process now could result in the loss of democracy itself.
In a recent example, the Republican National Committee recently published a YouTube video that was "made entirely of AI imagery." The disturbingly inventive use of AI technology in the commercial is a wake-up message that we cannot ignore, despite the dismal depiction of America under a possible second term with President Joe Biden that may seem all too familiar. It conveys a clear message regarding the 2024 election: artificial intelligence (AI) bots are here to stay and will only get more powerful. Their smooth integration across social media platforms, which includes captivating reels, eye-catching photos, and even fully produced films, creates a clear picture of what's to come. The deliverables, however, are only the beginning. Below the surface, these artificial intelligence (AI) tools use demographic targeting and data analytics to improve content in ways that can alarmingly precisely change impressions and beliefs. The closer we get.
What social media offers creative material is more “eyes” — looks, views, impressions —- than most other places would. For instance, AI bots have been used to boost political advertisements on social media sites like Facebook and Twitter during recent elections. To make sure that more people saw their messages in crucial battleground states, the Trump campaign, for example, employed automated bots to expand the reach of its social media advertisements. It’s safe to say ethics and AI are far from mutually exclusive — they don’t even exist in the same sentence. The implications of using AI in political advertising raise serious concerns about transparency, misinformation, and voter manipulation.
Advertisers are aggressively protective of brand safety, which is hardly surprising given the prevailing uncertainties. However, Skibinski promotes a novel viewpoint: why not welcome such hazards rather than avoid them? He highlights AI's potential to generate creative ideas while also acknowledging the negative aspects of its incorporation into political advertising. By taking this risky tack, brands can not only successfully negotiate the intricacies of the digital environment but also establish genuine bonds with their target audiences, transforming obstacles into opportunities for expansion and interaction.
In the field of political advertising, artificial intelligence has made the practice of distributing misinformation and fabricating facts unnervingly simple. The distinction between reality and fiction becomes hazy with a few clicks, resulting in a digital environment where false narratives may be quickly created and disseminated. AI's ability to magnify voices while also distorting the facts is a challenge and a warning in this high-stakes game, leaving voters to navigate a confusing sea of information. However, the hyperrealism of AI-generated images makes them more powerful than photoshopped photographs or political cartoons, and they can bring a political message to a wider audience.
In a way, targeting may become compelling and laser-focused, even for people who may not be particularly interested in or knowledgeable about the election at first. Larry Adams, founder of agency LVA, said AI “can help political campaigns reach specific demographics with tailored messaging, maximizing the effectiveness of their ads.” AI brings a treasure trove of exciting features that delve deeply into social media and public opinion to determine which problems actually matter to voters. Campaign advertising might be completely transformed by these developments, which would also level the playing field for candidates and drastically reduce expenses. Imagine campaigns that are driven by analytics that enable them to target their messaging where it matters most, maximizing the use of every dollar. In this new environment, astute candidates can use AI to engage with voters in a meaningful way and compete, changing the way political narratives are created and disseminated.
Further, things like ad generation, testing, and content creation may all be automated and accelerated. Campaigns might also use AI image and text generators to produce numerous languages to localize their material.
At the end of the day, when it comes to AI and political advertising, only one thing is true: it simplifies the creation of content. In a world where false information spreads like wildfire, it's just as simple to emphasize important points and magnify the facts. What's the true ruse for advertisers? achieving that seemingly unattainable equilibrium. Amidst the flurry of bizarre images and outrageous allegations circulating about individuals such as Donald Trump and Kamala Harris, there is a bright side: when properly utilized, artificial intelligence (AI) can be a potent ally rather than a potential threat. With the correct investigation and approach, it may break through the confusion, change the story, and make sure the truth is heard above the digital cacophony.