# AI political ads spending hits $80m

> Researchers tracked $80m spent on 170 AI political ads this year.
- Title: AI political ads spending hits $80m · The Conversation
- Summary: 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…
- Keywords: ai political ads, us midterms, 2026 midterm elections, republicans, democrats, deepfakes, ai disclaimers, political campaigns, us elections, ai use in ads, political advertising, ai generated ads
- Source: The Conversation — https://theconversation.com/weve-tracked-80m-of-spending-on-almost-170-ai-generated-political-ads-this-year-its-weird-292105
- Author: Erika Franklin Fowler
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: ai political ads, us midterms, 2026 midterm elections, republicans, democrats, deepfakes, ai disclaimers, political campaigns, us elections, ai use in ads, political advertising, ai generated ads
## 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.
## Key takeaway

Researchers found $80m spent on 170 AI-generated political ads in 2026 midterms with Republicans using AI more than Democrats.