From The Conversation · Erika Franklin Fowler · · 1m 20s
AI political ads spending hits $80m
Researchers tracked $80m spent on 170 AI political ads this year.
In brief
Researchers tracked $80m spent on 170 AI political ads this year. Researchers found $80m spent on 170 AI-generated political ads in 2026 midterms with Republicans using AI more than Democrats. Originally reported by The Conversation.
AI political ads in 2026
The 2026 U.S. midterm campaigns are the first to regularly feature AI-generated political ads on television and social media.
AI spending tracked
Researchers tracked about US$80 million in spending on almost 170 unique AI-generated political ads this year.
Deepfake examples
AI generated deepfakes of Donald Trump, Nancy Pelosi, Barack Obama, Kamala Harris and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez appeared in ads.
Republican AI use
Republican candidates and groups were behind 80% of tracked AI political ads and 83% of the spending.
AI disclaimers vary
Only 31% of tracked ads disclosed AI use, with disclaimers ranging from 'manipulated or generated with artificial intelligence' to 'political satire'.
State laws don’t ensure disclosure
In states with AI laws, 29% of ads included disclaimers versus 32% in states without laws, showing little correlation.
AI use in ads
AI was used to create hyperrealistic deepfakes and subtle enhancements in political ads this year.
Policy challenge ahead
The real policy challenge will be transparency, enforceability of existing laws and what type of disclosure helps voters.
The bottom line
Researchers found $80m spent on 170 AI-generated political ads in 2026 midterms with Republicans using AI more than Democrats.
