AI is reshaping political advertising ahead of the midterm elections, with campaigns using generative tools to produce attack ads at a fraction of traditional costs. Where a professional video ad once cost $10,000 to $30,000, AI can now generate similar content in minutes for much less. Over 220 midterm ads have been tracked by the Wesleyan Media Project, and spending on AI campaign ads has exceeded $137 million, compared with less than $50,000 in the 2024 cycle. Some states have moved to regulate AI ads, but experts like Eric Wilson of the Leadership Institute argue that voters can recognize satire and should evaluate content themselves.
Concerns extend beyond paid advertising. The Washington Post tested six popular chatbots by asking them to create voter guides for every US county, and the results included fake Senate races and incorrect ballot information. This matters because 2 in 5 Americans say they have used AI to look up election information. OpenAI launched an Election Operations Center to combat misinformation, and 31 states have passed deepfake laws as experts warn that foreign adversaries are using AI to spread disinformation targeting candidates like Sherrod Brown and James Talarico.
On the business and infrastructure side, companies are under pressure to integrate AI into core operations. Yoav Naveh, CEO of Reindeer AI, warns that firms ignoring AI risk their survival and stresses that AI should move beyond customer service into functions like supplier work and payments. In one case, a supplier cut price quote time from hours to minutes, boosting business by 20%. Meanwhile, Bellini Capital's CISO Brian Blakley says that simply patching vulnerabilities faster is not enough when AI security is involved, especially for firms handling $50 billion in yearly transactions, and calls for segmentation and isolation to reduce exposure.
Public sentiment and global competition paint a mixed picture. A Pew Research Center survey found 72% of US adults oppose AI data centers in their communities, and about 63% expressed broader fears about AI's impact on jobs and society. Globally, the US holds 72% of AI compute power, while China sits at 14% and the EU trails at just 5%, according to a Dealroom.co report. PsiQuantum has unveiled a new optical circuit switch using silicon photonics to move data more efficiently between large AI computing systems, addressing infrastructure limits caused by AI scaling. In Florida, researchers at Florida State University are combining AI with NASA satellite data to track toxic red tides, aiming to provide earlier detection and short-term forecasting for coastal communities.
Key Takeaways
- <ul><li>AI campaign ad spending has exceeded $137 million in the current midterm cycle, compared with less than $50,000 in 2024</li><li>Chatbots tested by the Washington Post produced fake Senate races and incorrect ballot information when asked to create voter guides</li><li>OpenAI launched an Election Operations Center to combat AI-driven election misinformation</li><li>31 states have passed deepfake laws as experts warn foreign adversaries use AI to spread disinformation</li><li>Reindeer AI CEO warns companies that ignoring AI risks their survival and should move AI beyond customer service</li><li>A supplier using AI cut price quote time from hours to minutes, boosting business by 20%</li><li>Bellini Capital CISO says faster patching alone is not enough for AI security at firms handling $50 billion in yearly transactions</li><li>72% of US adults oppose AI data centers in their communities, according to a Pew Research Center survey</li><li>The US holds 72% of global AI compute power, while the EU trails at just 5%</li><li>Florida State University researchers use AI and NASA satellite data to track toxic red tides for earlier detection</li></ul>
AI transforms political attack ads in North Carolina and across the nation
AI technology is changing political attack ads in western North Carolina and nationwide. Campaigns use AI to create images like candidates as superheroes or looming figures. Some ads include disclaimers about AI use while others do not. Dr. Chris Cooper of Western Carolina University calls it a Wild West. Research shows disclosing AI use makes voters more receptive, and the 2026 midterms will test AI's impact on political advertising.
AI political ads spark debate over deception and free speech before midterms
AI is changing how political campaigns reach voters one week before the midterm elections. Eric Wilson of the Leadership Institute says AI ads are like modern political cartoons and voters can tell the difference. He argues campaigns use AI for parody and satire. Previously, producing a video ad cost $10,000 to $30,000, but AI can do similar work in minutes for much less. Some states are moving to regulate AI ads, but Wilson believes voters should decide for themselves.
AI political ads spark debate over deception and free speech before midterms
AI is changing how political campaigns reach voters one week before the midterm elections. Eric Wilson of the Leadership Institute and the Center for Campaign Innovation says AI ads are modern political cartoons that voters understand. Campaigns use AI for parody, satire and humor. Previously, a professional video ad cost $10,000 to $30,000, but AI can do similar work in minutes for much less. Wilson says voters should be trusted to evaluate political content without strict rules.
AI political ads spark debate over deception and free speech before midterms
AI is changing how political campaigns reach voters one week before the midterm elections. Eric Wilson of the Leadership Institute says AI ads are like modern political cartoons and many are clearly satire. Campaigns use AI for parody and humor. Previously, a video ad cost $10,000 to $30,000, but AI can do similar work in minutes for much less. Wilson thinks rules limiting AI in campaigns would harm their potential and voters should decide for themselves.
AI political ads spark debate over deception and free speech before midterms
AI is changing how political campaigns reach voters one week before the midterm elections. Eric Wilson of the Leadership Institute and the Center for Campaign Innovation says AI ads are modern political cartoons that voters can recognize. Campaigns use AI for parody, satire and humor. Previously, a video ad cost $10,000 to $30,000, but AI can do similar work in minutes for much less. Wilson believes voters should evaluate political content themselves and opposes strict rules on AI in campaigns.
AI politics surge: voters urged to stay alert
AI-generated political content is growing fast, with over 220 midterm ads tracked by the Wesleyan Media Project. Spending on AI campaign ads has exceeded $137 million, compared with less than $50,000 in the 2024 cycle. Experts say foreign adversaries use AI to spread disinformation targeting candidates like Sherrod Brown and James Talarico. OpenAI launched an Election Operations Center to combat misinformation, and 31 states have passed deepfake laws.
Measuring the real time AI saves at work
A new analysis argues that AI time savings should be measured by the errors missed, not just the clock. It reviews studies including a 19% to 24% developer slowdown found in public data. The analysis says review time can limit GPT-5 speedup to 3.6x in some workflows. A small experiment showed AI reviewers checked less when told error rates were low, leading to faster but worse results.
Chatbots fail at making accurate voter guides
The Washington Post tested six popular chatbots by asking them to create voter guides for every US county. The chatbots produced serious errors, including fake Senate races and incorrect ballot information. This comes as 2 in 5 Americans say they have used AI to look up election information. The test showed that relying on chatbots for voting details can be risky.
Most Americans oppose local AI data centers
A Pew Research Center survey of 1,504 US adults found 72% oppose AI data centers in their communities. About 63% expressed broader fears about AI, including worries about jobs, personal relationships, and society. The survey was conducted in April 2023. It also found 55% believe AI will have a major impact on the job market.
US leads global AI compute, EU trails far behind
A Dealroom.co report based on 2020 data shows the US holds 72% of global AI compute power. China follows at 14%, while the EU trails at just 5%. The report says the US leads because of strong research and a large tech industry. It found the EU has a fragmented AI research landscape and needs more investment to catch up.
Bellini Capital CISO says patching faster is not enough for AI security
Brian Blakley, CISO at Bellini Capital, says AI helps find vulnerabilities faster but fixing them still takes too long. He believes teams need to reduce exposure while waiting for patches through segmentation and isolation. He also calls for a shared metric between CIOs and CISOs to keep business and security goals aligned. His advice comes from experience leading security at a fintech handling $50 billion in yearly transactions.
Reindeer AI CEO warns companies must adopt AI agents or risk survival
Yoav Naveh, founder and CEO of Reindeer AI, warns that companies cannot afford to ignore AI. He spoke at the Tech1 conference and said AI should move beyond customer service into major business functions like supplier work and payments. He shared a case where a supplier cut price quote time from hours to minutes, boosting business by 20%. Naveh stresses that every company must own and build its own AI capabilities.
PsiQuantum reveals optical circuit switch for AI data centers
PsiQuantum announced a new optical circuit switch designed for AI data centers. The product uses silicon photonics to move data more efficiently between large AI computing systems. CEO Victor Peng said the technology addresses growing infrastructure limits caused by AI scaling. The company plans to apply this work toward building utility-scale quantum computers.
Miami Dade College hosts XI Presidential Dialogue on AI and democracy
Miami Dade College will host the XI Presidential Dialogue of Grupo IDEA on November 10, 2026. Former presidents and leaders from the Americas and Spain will discuss AI, democracy, and freedom. The event takes place at the Wolfson Campus in Miami and includes panel discussions and the 2026 Sebastián Piñera Prize for Freedom. The program will be conducted in Spanish with English interpretation and streamed online.
AI and satellite data may help Florida predict toxic red tides earlier
Researchers at Florida State University are using AI and NASA satellite data to track toxic red tides in the Gulf. The work focuses on Karenia brevis, the organism behind Florida's red tides, and uses NASA's PACE satellite for detailed ocean monitoring. Scientist Bingqing Liu says combining satellite data with AI allows earlier detection and short-term forecasting. This approach could help coastal communities take precautions before conditions worsen.
Sources
- AI is changing the look of political attack ads in North Carolina and nationwide
- AI-generated political ads fuel debate over deception and free speech ahead of midterms
- AI-generated political ads fuel debate over deception and free speech ahead of midterms
- AI-generated political ads fuel debate over deception and free speech ahead of midterms
- AI-generated political ads fuel debate over deception and free speech ahead of midterms
- As AI in politics becomes more common, here's how voters can stay vigilant
- Counting the Bandages: On measuring the time that AI saves
- Can you trust a chatbot to make you a voter guide? We put them to the test.
- Anxious about AI: Polls show Americans oppose data centers, have fears about machine learning
- Dealroom.co | US holds 72% of global AI compute; EU trails at 5%
- Bellini Capital CISO on AI security governance and the limits of patching faster
- "Those who lack these capabilities simply won’t survive," warns Reindeer AI CEO
- PsiQuantum Unveils Optical Circuit Switch for AI Data Centers
- Miami Dade College to Host XI Presidential Dialogue on Democracy, Freedom and Artificial Intelligence
- AI and satellite data could give Florida earlier warnings of toxic red tides
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