Candidates Fail to Disclose AI Ads Despite Laws
As the use of AI-powered political ads increases in the 2026 midterms, a large portion of these contents fail to include disclosures despite legal requirements.
It has been revealed that AI-generated campaign ads used by political candidates during the 2026 midterm election season mostly fail to comply with disclosure requirements mandated by state laws.
AI-Powered Ads
In a campaign advertisement featuring New York City's mayor and the state governor, AI-generated images were used to portray both figures in a negative light.
Legal Regulations and Violations
Although there is a law in New York state that mandates the disclosure of AI usage, it was determined that the relevant advertisement lacked such a notice.
Following this situation, the New York State Democratic Committee filed a official complaint with the state Board of Elections in August.
General Election Data
According to data from the Wesleyan Media Project, at least 164 political advertisements generated or enhanced with AI have been identified in the current election cycle.
Investigations showed that 69 percent of these identified AI political ads lacked a disclosure of use.