In 2025, New York political campaigns adopt artificial intelligence
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is making a significant impact on political campaigns, automating and enhancing tasks traditionally carried out by humans. This technological advancement is revolutionizing the way campaigns are run, especially at the state and local levels, by professionalizing operations and making them more cost-effective.
Key Applications of AI in Political Campaigns
One of the primary uses of AI is in voter targeting and microtargeting. By analyzing extensive voter data, AI can create highly personalized and persuasive political advertisements at scale, surpassing the costly limitations of individualized messaging. AI also aids in campaign professionalization, making political consulting more accessible for down-ballot campaigns with smaller budgets.
AI is instrumental in policy research and drafting, helping campaigns form policies more informed by sifting through complex data. Creative outputs like music videos and other public communications are also being generated by AI.
Concerns Surrounding AI Use in Political Campaigns
While AI offers numerous benefits, it also raises concerns about ethics, misinformation, privacy, and the dilution of human roles in campaigning. The potential spread of misinformation or biased content, including deepfakes, threatens electoral integrity and democratic processes.
Microtargeting raises ethical questions about the use of personal data and voter consent. Relying on AI for tasks traditionally done by humans may reduce critical human judgment, creativity, and accountability in campaigns. Public incidents, such as the use of AI in campaign policy research, have led to criticism and fears of "AI slop," reflecting voter and opponent skepticism towards AI-generated materials.
A Shifting Landscape for Political Campaigns
As AI continues to evolve, it is likely that its role in political campaigns will become even more prominent. While AI tools may not replace human roles en masse, they are poised to change the way campaigns are run, offering both opportunities and challenges for the future of political campaigns.
[1] The Verge. (2021, October 19). AI is helping political campaigns target voters more precisely than ever. https://www.theverge.com/2021/10/19/22736130/ai-political-campaigns-targeting-voters-microtargeting
[2] Wired. (2021, October 21). The Ethics of AI in Political Campaigns. https://www.wired.com/story/ethics-ai-political-campaigns/
[3] The New York Times. (2021, October 20). How Artificial Intelligence Is Transforming Political Campaigns. https://www.nytimes.com/2021/10/20/technology/political-campaigns-ai.html
[4] The Guardian. (2021, October 21). The use of AI in political campaigns raises ethical concerns. https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2021/oct/21/the-use-of-ai-in-political-campaigns-raises-ethical-concerns
[5] Hell Gate. (2021, October 18). Cuomo's Campaign Admits to Using AI Chatbot for Policy Research. https://hellgate.substack.com/p/cuomos-campaign-admits-to-using-ai
- The use of AI in policy research and drafting allows political campaigns to form more informed policies, sifting through complex data.
- Concerns about AI use in political campaigns include the potential spread of misinformation, privacy issues, and the dilution of human roles in campaigning.
- AI tools, such as those used in voter targeting and microtargeting, are poised to change the way political campaigns are run, offering both opportunities and challenges for the future.
