Republicans defend AI drag queen attack ad amid backlash
2026-10-29
Newsweek
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Republican Jennifer Balkcom's campaign used AI to create deepfake attack ads falsely depicting Democrat Jamie Ager dancing with drag queens and defacing a Bible. The ads, aired without disclosure, caused reputational harm, spread misinformation, and led to cease-and-desist actions from affected drag queens in North Carolina's 11th Congressional District.[AI generated]
Why's our monitor labelling this an incident or hazard?
An AI system was explicitly used to create a fabricated video for a political attack ad, which directly led to reputational harm and misinformation. The drag performer’s likeness was used without consent, raising issues of rights violations. The ad's dissemination in a political campaign context harms community trust and individual dignity. These factors meet the criteria for an AI Incident, as the AI system's use directly caused harm to persons and communities through misinformation and unauthorized use of likeness.[AI generated]