© 2025 WSIU Public Broadcasting
WSIU Public Broadcasting
Member-Supported Public Media from Southern Illinois University
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Inside the current and future use of AI in political ads

The political era of artificial intelligence deepfakes has arrived. Senate Republicans used artificial intelligence to generate a fake version of Democratic leader Chuck Schumer in an advertisement about the government shutdown.

It used a quote attributed to Schumer in print; He told Punchbowl News, “every day gets better for us.” There was no footage of Schumer saying it, but Republicans used AI to create a video of it.

There is a small tag in the corner of the video that says “AI generated,” but many criticized the post. A representative for the National Republican Senate Committee, however, defended the ad, saying “AI is here and not going anywhere.”

Here & Now‘s Robin Young speaks with Ina Fried, chief technology correspondent at Axios.

This article was originally published on WBUR.org.

Copyright 2025 WBUR

Here & Now Newsroom
As a WSIU donor, you don’t simply watch or listen to public media programs, you are a partner. By making a gift, you help WSIU produce, purchase, and broadcast programs you care about and enjoy – every day of the year.