A Virginia lieutenant governor candidate's use of artificial intelligence to create a fake debate with his opponent sparked controversy.
Republican John Reid said his Democratic opponent, State Senator Ghazala Hashmi, wouldn't debate him, so he used her previous statements to create an AI-generated debate between the two candidates.
The video, which includes an AI moderator, was posted on YouTube and has gained national attention.
"First, it's not a debate. It's a performance, it's a commercial, it's a publicity stunt, but it's not a debate," said Al Tompkins, a professor, author and journalist with over 50 years of experience.
The fake debate has generated widespread discussion about the intersection of AI and politics.
"I think it is also part of a larger narrative that we're seeing with artificial intelligence being used within politics, and we're seeing it used in unusual ways," said Cayce Myers, a professor and director of graduate studies at Virginia Tech School of Communication.
Myers believes 2025 represents a turning point for AI in politics.
"2025 is really this watershed year, and the reason for that is the interface on AI has gotten a lot easier. You don't have to really be trained that much on artificial intelligence, or computers for that matter, to get generative content that is high quality," Myers said.
Experts emphasize that voters need to conduct more thorough research to verify information and understand what candidates truly represent.
"We have a civic responsibility to be smart consumers before we cast our ballot... The most sacred act we can do as citizens is to vote and we should take it seriously, and take some time to figure out what these candidates stand for," said Tompkins.
Myers predicts this type of AI use will become more common in future elections.
"I think that as a voter, we're going to see a lot more of this, and I think voters are going to have to do their homework in a way that we may not have had to do in the past," Myers said.
Ava Pitruzzello, a spokesperson for the Ghazala for Virginia campaign, shared the following statement regarding the AI-generated debate:
“John Reid’s failed use of deepfakes is a desperate move straight out of Donald Trump’s playbook. While we appreciate that AI Ghazala did share her vision like her commitment to public education and reproductive rights — it's pretty clear, Reid only cares about shoddy gimmicks and not governing. Maybe he should focus on voters instead of videos. And hasn’t he gotten in enough trouble online already?”
The statement below was taken from press release issued from the Reid campaign that claimed they repeatedly requested a debate with his opponent.
“Unlike even the real debates where every candidate gets days of preparation, this tape was my one and only take. Virginians can see exactly how I respond when I don’t get to hide behind consultants or scripts. My opponent has had months to prepare; she’s simply chosen silence," said John Reid, “It’s unfortunate that a sitting State Senator is either too afraid of her own record or too calculating to face the voters directly. But I will always stand on my own two feet, and in an unscripted format, answer questions from the media and the public. That’s what leadership looks like.”
