He also expects campaigns to use AI to update voter databases in real time, perform trend analysis, and send tailored messages to different groups of voters. These can be persuasive appeals to undecided independents on issues that likely matter most to them, or fundraising appeals for stronger supporters, playing on their biggest fears if their candidate loses. “If you can automate all of this, then these campaign features, which were previously time-consuming, labor-intensive, and therefore costly, become much easier and cheaper,” Strother said.

Hyun also sees the AI ​​somewhat leveling the playing field between richer and poorer campaigns. His agency has already experimented with artificial intelligence to create a video that depicts one of the clients as a superhero. It’s the kind of project that would require renting a green-screen studio, setting aside a few hours of client time, and hiring a few computer animators and editors to put it all together—but with AI, it was created “for fun” by no means. time at all

The proliferation of high-end video editing software and advanced cameras has already meant that any candidate for urban dogcatcher with a frilly nephew can put together a brilliant ad campaign, even if they can’t afford to put it anywhere but their own page on the Internet. YouTube. Artificial intelligence will only exacerbate this trend, Huyn said.

“You’ll see some examples of the content and video graphics that this generative AI will make possible for more cost-effective campaigns that they wouldn’t be able to do otherwise,” he said.

As a result, for most voters, the rise of AI may mean less being bombarded with subtle political lies than simply being bombarded with political content in general. The history of technology impact on work suggests that campaigns will be able to do more with less and thus make more election content that floods and annoys voters: more online ads, polls, text messages, emails, fundraising appeals , emotional manipulation and more. a hive dropped on top of a growing swarm of robotic calls buzzing ceaselessly on our cell phones.