AI-generated US midterm political ads worth $137M included fabricated scenes targeting candidates such as El-Sayed and Ossoff
The Wesleyan Media Project identified 220 US midterm political adverts made at least partly with AI, costing more than $137 million, and only 27 per cent carried an AI disclaimer. Several adverts showed fabricated scenes of candidates. One Front Line Action advert depicted Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed laughing at cards reading 'Death to America' and 'Celebrate 9/11'. A Senate Leadership Fund advert showing Senator Jon Ossoff at a salon carried no AI disclosure, and Ossoff demanded its removal, while a National Republican Senatorial Committee video had James Talarico voicing comments he never made.
What the AI did
Political groups used AI to make election adverts showing real candidates in scenes that never happened, such as Abdul El-Sayed laughing at cards reading 'Death to America' and 'Celebrate 9/11', and James Talarico voicing comments he never made. It has not been reported which AI tools were used.
First reported October 26, 2026 · Added to the register November 4, 2026 · 1 source
- Deployer
- Front Line Action, Senate Leadership Fund, Make Oklahoma Great Again PAC, National Republican Senatorial Committee
- Affected
- Abdul El-Sayed, James Talarico, Mike Mazzei, Jon Ossoff
- Country
- United States
- When it happened
- Not stated in the sources
- First reported
- October 26, 2026
What this means for you
Could this affect you?
If you buy, host or run political adverts. Candidates were shown in made-up AI scenes, and voters were exposed to 220 AI-assisted adverts, of which only 27 per cent carried an AI disclaimer.
What to check
- Check political adverts for AI-generated depictions of real people.
- Require clear on-screen AI labels on political adverts.
- Require clear audio AI labels on political adverts.
- Track state election deepfake laws where your adverts air.
Areas of your AI programme this touches
Every fact and its source (5)
- Tally cutoffAdverts up to 11 October“The tally covers adverts up to 11 October”[1]
- Number of AI political adverts identified220“identified 220 political adverts nationwide made at least partly with AI”[1]
- Share of adverts with an AI disclaimer27 per cent“Only 27 per cent of the adverts carried an AI disclaimer.”[1]
- Response by OssoffDemanded the advert's removal“The advert carried no AI disclosure, and Ossoff demanded its removal.”[1]
- AI-assisted political ad spendingMore than $137 million“costing more than £103 million ($137 million)”[1]
Sources
- $137M AI Ad Deluge Hits US Midterms as Fake 'Death to America' and 'Celebrate 9/11' Scenes Target Candidatesibtimes.co.uk · October 26, 2026
How this record is classified. Severity M (3/5): harm to individuals, or a policy breach with limited reach. OECD level: incident, an event in which an AI system led to actual harm. Evidence: Reported, meaning press reporting only.
The facts in At a glance and in Every fact and its source are quoted from the sources listed. The summary, What the AI did and What this means for you are written from those sources and checked against them automatically before publication. Records reflect what has been disclosed, not everything that has happened. Incidents are found through news feeds and the GDELT Project.
