The Republican National Committee (RNC) was poised with attack ads as soon as President Joe Biden announced his re-election campaign. What sets this ad apart is its use of imagery generated entirely by artificial intelligence to illustrate the RNC's vision of a potential Biden victory in 2024.
According to the RNC, this is their first ad made completely with AI imagery. The video opens with Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris celebrating at an election victory party. Despite a subtle disclaimer in the corner stating that the visuals are "built entirely with AI imagery," the images of the grinning figures raise suspicion—each appears to have an unrealistic number of teeth.
The ad then explores several domestic and international crises that the RNC claims could arise if the Biden-Harris ticket secures another term. A fabricated news anchor ominously proclaims, "This morning, an emboldened China invades Taiwan." The narrative escalates to warn of a looming financial crisis due to the closure of numerous regional banks, border agents overwhelmed by asylum seekers, and military intervention in San Francisco amid rising crime and the fentanyl crisis.
While the themes presented are typical of Republican attack ads, this video signals a new trend in political campaigning. The potential for AI-generated visuals to propagate misinformation raises concerns about the future of political discourse.