AI Political Ads Surge in 2026 Midterm Elections
Campaigns used AI-generated or AI-enhanced ads far more widely in the 2026 cycle than in 2024, according to tracked spending data.
Updated on Nov. 9, 2026 in Artificial Intelligence
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About 300 political ads were generated or enhanced by AI in the 2026 midterm elections, with the people and groups behind them spending roughly $187 million to promote them online and on TV. That spending was more than 3,000 times the approximate $50,000 spent in the 2024 cycle, though it remained a fraction of overall political ad spending.
Why it matters
The rapid growth of AI-generated political content raises questions about how voters evaluate campaign messaging and how candidates may be perceived when AI is used. A 2025 Pew Research Center study found that 71% of Americans said they would like a candidate less if they knew AI helped write a speech they had otherwise enjoyed.
Tracked AI ads numbered about 300, with roughly 90% coming from Republican candidates or groups supporting them, compared with overall political ad spending projected at about $11.6 billion for 2025 and 2026. The data does not show how much these ads influenced voters.
The players
Pew Research Center
A nonpartisan American think tank based in Washington, D.C., known for public opinion polling and research on political attitudes and technology.
James Talarico
A Texas Democrat who served as a state representative and won the state's U.S. Senate race in the 2026 cycle, where he was the target of AI-visual ads.
The details
Some ads used AI to enhance or supplement real incidents, such as adding more people to video of a crowd, while others included deepfakes, which are fabricated videos appearing to show people saying or doing things they did not do. Texas voters saw many AI-visual ads, including ones targeting state Rep. James Talarico, who won the state's U.S. Senate race.
Timeline
2024 election cycle: approximately $50,000 spent on AI political ads.
2025: Pew Research Center study on voter reactions to AI-written speeches.
2026 midterm elections: about 300 AI-generated or enhanced political ads ran.
Big Picture
The jump from roughly $50,000 in AI political ad spending in the 2024 cycle to about $187 million in 2026 marks a steep escalation in how campaigns use generative tools. Thirty-one states now regulate deepfakes in political messaging, a sign that lawmakers are responding to the trend.
Voters encountering political content may need to check whether a video or image has been altered, since some ads include fabricated footage of people saying things they did not say. Depending on the state, deepfake rules in political messaging may apply to the content they see.
The takeaway
Voters should treat campaign video and imagery with added scrutiny in an election cycle where AI tools are being used at scale. Checking the source of a clip before sharing it is a practical step for any reader.
Further reading
For more on the technology behind these tools, see Artificial Intelligence coverage on Wisevoter.
Source note: This article includes information reported by WLWT5.
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