AI slashes political ad costs, flooding voters with content

Artificial intelligence is slashing the price of political advertising. Campaigns can now churn out attack ads, memes, and targeted messages at a speed that would have been too expensive just a few years ago. In these political ad wars, operatives use generative AI to finish in minutes or hours what once took days for writers, voice actors, video crews, and production teams. The creative process has shifted from an expensive asset into something affordable and almost disposable. This change could let candidates and outside groups flood voters with more content than ever before.

Exact numbers are hard to pin down right now. AdImpact found 29 campaign ads in federal and gubernatorial contests that openly disclosed AI use as of two weeks ago. The Wesleyan Media Project has identified at least 164 AI-influenced ads this cycle, including those without public disclosure. But the jury is still out on whether this tech actually helps produce election victories.

"It certainly allows you to produce more content in varying styles and more cost effective," Jesse Hunt told Fox News Digital. He is a veteran Republican consultant who pointed to both the creative and economic benefits of using AI in political advertising. Democratic strategist Chris Moyer agreed with that assessment. "AI gives campaigns more tools for less cost," he said. "So there is a democratizing of the tools that campaigns used to have to spend valuable resources on....You can get access to things with a smaller budget."

Will Ritter, a longtime Republican ad maker and media strategist, explained how his agency changed its approach. Poolhouse, which he co-founded, went from barely using AI last cycle to putting some AI component into most of their ads now. "The good news is that it's really cool technology," Ritter said. "It allows a lot of people to make stuff. You can make almost anything." But he added a warning. "You still need to be able to know what you're doing with the tools."

Ritter emphasized that his team has professionals who understand how to use and integrate them. They focus on getting a good ad done faster and cheaper while keeping the main point clear: communicate a message, not show off cool visual tech. Campaign veterans say if you are not using AI for messaging content and other key tasks like voter outreach, you are already behind the eight ball. That gap will only widen going forward.

"We are running the most organized and sophisticated congressional campaign in the country," Ciro Riccardi told Fox News Digital. He is a top adviser for Republican Rep. Mike Lawler of New York. "And we utilize every legitimate tool that helps our team improve productivity." Any campaign that does not would be foolish, he insists.

Lawler is running for re-election in a key swing district in the northern suburbs of New York City. Democrats are targeting this area as they aim to win back the House majority. Lawler's campaign is one of hundreds across the nation that reported spending on AI technology vendors in their Federal Election Commission disclosure reports. Spending by campaigns on AI is expected to increase, but Riccardi noted a funny reality. Lawler's 2026 re-election team will spend more money on pizza for volunteers than it will on AI tools.

But are AI-generated ads helping candidates win at the ballot box? Republican gubernatorial candidate Brian Shortsleeve of Massachusetts grabbed attention in February with an AI-generated radio ad that used an AI-generated version of Gov.

A new political ad in Massachusetts used an artificial intelligence voice to make Democratic Governor Maura Healey say terrible things about herself. The fake audio claimed she was responsible for some of the highest electricity rates in the nation. It blamed her climate agenda for slapping on excessive fees. This deepfake video, image, or audio recording created using artificial intelligence made a real person appear to say something they never actually did.

Thirty-one states have enacted laws regulating political deepfakes now. The Federal Election Commission has not implemented any AI rulemaking yet. Experts are worried about the legal limits of this technology in elections where stakes are so high.

The shortsleeve ad appeared to help a business executive who was once acting general manager of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. He ran for the GOP gubernatorial nomination after using such tools. Former medical device executive Mike Minogue defeated him in the September primary by a landslide margin.

In Los Angeles, reality TV star Spencer Pratt used AI-generated videos that went viral to boost his campaign visibility significantly. These clips humorously and dramatically portrayed him as a superhero saving a dystopian city from fire. The footage showed incumbent Democratic Mayor Karen Bass and other officials acting as villains instead.

The videos grabbed millions of views on social media platforms like X, TikTok, and Instagram quickly. They seemed to help turn Pratt from a longshot into one of the top three contenders for mayor. But the AI-generated messaging was not enough to carry him past the finish line in this blue-leaning city. Pratt came in third place during the June 2 primary and was eliminated before the general election could happen.

The National Republican Senatorial Committee targeted Democratic Senate nominee James Talarico in Texas earlier this year with an ad showing an AI-generated version of the candidate reading controversial old social media posts. Meanwhile, an AI-generated image of former Rep. Mike Rogers went viral during the Michigan Senate race. The GOP nominee appeared as a superhero figure rescuing people from a collapsing building in that clip.

Whether such AI-generated messaging made an impact on voters remains uncertain right now. The electoral outcomes in both showdowns will not be determined until next month arrives. Campaign veterans point to positives and negatives when it comes to this new content format.

Ritter noted that AI has really revolutionized the industry for groups and companies willing to take risks with these tools. "There are so many things we can do now – save time," Ritter added regarding efficiency gains. He called it a huge opportunity but emphasized you still need people who can use the tools correctly. You also have to exercise some restraint in how campaigns deploy them.

Ritter pointed out that Spencer Pratt made some unbelievable cool ads they had never seen before using this tech. Those clips went super viral across the internet without question. Then he came in third place anyway during the primary vote count. "The people that win tend to have a message that resonates and is communicated clearly and consistently," Ritter emphasized about winning campaigns. Just getting attention doesn't do the whole job for a candidate running for office.

Moyer warned that as AI becomes more widespread, there's going to be a lot more cynicism among voters regarding whether ads are actually real or not.

For years, the standard trick was simply to take a candidate's own words and spin them into an ad against them." Now Hunt observes that voters have grown deeply skeptical of this approach. Many people are constantly asking themselves if a political opponent actually said those exact things or if the claim is entirely fabricated. This doubt has shifted the entire dynamic of modern campaigning.

Hunt, who serves as a veteran in both presidential and statewide races, insists that authenticity remains incredibly important today. He argues that artificial intelligence may have leveled the playing field to a certain extent, but it cannot replace genuine human connection. Campaign ads must feel as real as possible to work effectively. Going for the cheapest option does not always mean you get the most persuasive message or the one that sticks in memory. The lowest cost route often sacrifices the meaningfulness that voters now demand.