Artificial intelligence raises new questions for Minnesota campaigns – Twin Cities

An AI-generated image featuring Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan in a controversial ad has sparked discussions about AI’s increasing presence in political campaigns.
The ad, made by the North Star Dawn PAC, showed Flanagan holding a pile of cash, and it raises questions about whether it violated Minnesota’s law banning political deepfakes close to a nominating convention.
Dr. Manjeet Rege, an AI expert, notes that AI’s actual use in election campaigns is largely behind the scenes, including drafting ad copies, managing opposition research, and sorting voter lists.
There are concerns about both intentional and unintentional uses of AI in campaigns, with AI possibly providing wrong logistical information.
Sen. Zach Duckworth believes a discussion about regulating AI use in campaigns might become bipartisan, given the need to ensure voters get accurate information.
Sen. Erin Maye Quade emphasizes that while some uses of AI, like speech writing, may not be illegal, they are concerning from a human perspective.
Several prominent campaigns did not disclose their AI use in campaigns, and there’s ongoing debate about whether deceptive use of AI undermines public trust.
According to Rege, the use of AI in campaigns is becoming unavoidable as it’s being built into campaign-reliance apps.

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