John Edwards, Technology Journalist & AuthorDecember 24, 20245 Min ReadBrain light via Alamy Stock PhotoArtificial intelligence is transforming virtually all aspects of social and business life. For better or worse, this includes political campaigns and elections.These are not the first elections where AI has been used, but they are the first with low-cost AI tools widely available, introducing a new element of uncertainty for campaigns and voters, observes Ann Skeet, senior director of leadership ethics at the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics at Santa Clara University, via email.AI is changing campaigns at a meteoric rate by providing politicians and their teams with advanced tools to shape public opinion, notes Sez Harmon, an AI policy analyst at the Responsible AI Institute. "Campaigns are using generative AI to personalize voter outreach, tailor speeches and marketing materials, create deepfakes of political opponents, and amplify election narratives." In an online interview, she states that AI tools can also be used for predictive analysis to assess where candidates should focus their advertising and fundraising efforts on campaign tours to sway voters in key jurisdictions.At a time when trust in the election process is rapidly diminishing, tools that blur the lines between reality and misinformation run the risk of eroding voter confidence even more, Skeet warns. "Voters need to bring an extra level of vigilance to their media and advertising consumption during this election cycle and build basic information literacy skills that will help them identify where political information is coming from, how it's vetted, edited and distributed, who's paying for it, and what tools are being used to create it."Related:Streamlining TasksAI tools can collate information and election resources at a speed and depth that's challenging for unassisted human political aides to match, Harmon says. "Some models are trained on years of political strategy data and media coverage, which would be arduous to parse by a team of human analysts." She adds that AI technology is particularly appealing to candidates struggling with tight budgets, since many tools are free or come with only a small licensing fee. "This makes them accessible to groups across the political spectrum."AI is transforming political campaigns by automating repetitive, time-consuming tasks, such as drafting emails, managing social media, and generating content, says Mike Nellis, a political strategist and founder and CEO of Authentic, a political fundraising and consulting firm. It's revolutionizing the way campaigns run in the most boring way imaginable, he notes via email. "These tools work behind the scenes, freeing-up staff to focus on more strategic and human-centered activities, like voter outreach and creative thinking."Related:Faster and EasierAI that streamlines campaign operations, such as fundraising and record-keeping, can improve efficiency and effectiveness, Skeet says. "AI used in political advertising can lower costs, stretching candidates campaign budgets further while allowing the development of targeted advertising that's more affordable." On the downside, using AI without disclosing its application can contribute to the erosion of voter trust and sow confusion amongst the electorate.Political campaigns are also turning to AI to prepare candidates ahead of election debates and speaking engagements, Harmon says. "GenAI platforms can be used to practice responses to hard-hitting political questions, give candidates role-play opportunities to field insults in the style of their opponents, and even provide advice on how to delicately address topics to maximize voter support."For content creation, a growing number of political campaigns now are using chatbots, recommendation engines, analytics platforms, and large language models (LLMs), Harmon says. "For example, campaigns are using AI tools like Polly, which scrapes social media data to predict election outcomes in different regions based on public sentiment."Related:Deception and DisengagementSkeet warns that AI can be used to deceive voters by generating misinformation and disinformation while reinforcing firmly held beliefs. "We have already seen negative applications of the technology to mislead voters and discourage them from voting."Deepfakes can be a particularly effective campaign method, since humans still struggle to discern synthetic media from live coverage and authentic content, Harmon says. "The advanced state of synthetic voice generation and video editing, along with the subtle manipulation of media through face swapping and lip syncing, has made this challenge more pronounced."Positive or Negative?While there are challenges, Nellis believes that AI's benefits in increased efficiency and reduced workload outweigh the negatives, especially when used thoughtfully. "It will reduce burnout by automating mundane tasks, which will help keep staff happier and more engaged, leading to better retention," he notes.Campaigns using AI should make prudent choices that keep them in compliance with existing federal election regulations against fraudulent misrepresentation or solicitation of funds, the use of AI-generated voices in robocalls, and copyright laws, Skeet says.Final ThoughtsOverall, AI is a positive development for political campaigns, Nellis says. "While there are challenges, the benefits of increased efficiency and reduced workloads outweigh the negatives, especially if AI is used thoughtfully."Harmon believes that AI-driven political campaigns are here to stay. "These tools are only as powerful as we make them, and setting limits is pivotal to upholding free and fair elections."About the AuthorJohn EdwardsTechnology Journalist & AuthorJohn Edwards is a veteran business technology journalist. His work has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, and numerous business and technology publications, including Computerworld, CFO Magazine, IBM Data Management Magazine, RFID Journal, and Electronic Design. He has also written columns for The Economist's Business Intelligence Unit and PricewaterhouseCoopers' Communications Direct. John has authored several books on business technology topics. His work began appearing online as early as 1983. Throughout the 1980s and 90s, he wrote daily news and feature articles for both the CompuServe and Prodigy online services. His "Behind the Screens" commentaries made him the world's first known professional blogger.See more from John EdwardsNever Miss a Beat: Get a snapshot of the issues affecting the IT industry straight to your inbox.SIGN-UPYou May Also LikeWebinarsMore WebinarsReportsMore Reports