OCT. 26, 2026 – An AI-generated TV commercial paid for by the National Republican Congressional Committee and approved by NC-11 Republican candidate Jennifer Balkcom. (WLOS)
ASHEVILLE, N.C. (WLOS) —From political figures looming over Asheville to candidates transformed into superheroes, artificial intelligence is changing the landscape of political attack ads in western North Carolina and across the country.
Political experts describe the current landscape as a “Wild West,” with campaigns increasingly able to create eye-catching ads using AI technology.
A review of political advertisements airing across North Carolina shows the Republican Party funding attack ads targeting candidates, including Democratic NC-11 candidate Jamie Ager.
One ad depicts national Democratic figures, including former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, peering over Asheville, creating the impression that national political figures influence the city. Asheville is in the state’s 11th Congressional District, where Ager is running to be the first Democrat in years.
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Another ad, airing on the North Carolina coast, uses imagery of liberal Democrats and superimposes them alongside a Senate candidate.
Some advertisements include disclaimers acknowledging the use of AI. One ad begins by warning viewers that “the video in this advertisement is artificially generated,” before claiming that “the facts, however, are 100% accurate.”
But not all ads featuring AI-generated imagery carry the same disclosures.
“It’s the Wild West right now,” said Dr. Chris Cooper, chair of the political science department at Western Carolina University. He said some states are beginning to establish rules and guidelines for AI-generated political advertising, but disclosures often amount to simply informing viewers AI was used.
The technology is not limited to North Carolina. In California, an advertisement featuring actor Spencer Pratt, who ran for mayor of Los Angeles, used AI-generated imagery to portray him as Batman fighting liberal political groups in Washington.
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Cooper said the appeal for campaigns is straightforward: AI can make producing political content faster and cheaper.
“That’s one of the things about AI that makes it so attractive for candidates and campaigns is it’s cheap, and you can do a lot of it in-house,” he said.
The ads also demonstrate how AI can exaggerate a candidate’s image or political positions. One advertisement targeting yoga instructor Jessica Bichler, running for U.S. Senate in the Wilmington area, describes her as “totally bonkers” and depicts her twisted into a pretzel, mocking her vocation.
Researchers are also examining how voters respond to AI-generated political advertisements.
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Shahariar Khan Nobel, a Ph.D. student at the University of Maryland’s College of Journalism, has studied AI-generated political advertising with university colleagues. Their research found that disclosing the use of AI can make viewers more receptive to the advertisements.
Nobel believes clearer rules are needed to ensure voters understand how the technology is being used.
“There should be legal policies that will make the political campaign ads disclose how much AI involvement there was,” Nobel said.
The debate comes as researchers across the country and internationally examine AI’s impact on political communication. While the technology is already appearing in campaign advertising, its overall effectiveness remains an open question.
With the 2026 midterm elections providing a major test for AI-generated political ads nationwide, the results could help shape future debates over disclosure requirements and campaign regulations.
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