A Virginia Republican candidate running for lieutenant governor held a debate with an AI version of his opponent this week, after she declined to appear in person. John Reid stood at a podium across from a television screen displaying an image of state Sen. Ghazala Hashmi, D-Richmond, and answered questions on minimum wage, electric vehicles, and education from a recorded moderator.
The stunt can’t be measured as a realistic debate — Reid’s team put together his opponent’s responses based on Hashmi’s public comments and used AI to replicate her voice — but it showcases the bizarre ways AI can show up in politics as candidates experiment with attention-grabbing tactics. New York mayoral candidates Andrew Cuomo and Eric Adams, who is no longer running, previously integrated AI into their political ads.
The technology’s growing adoption in political circles may force candidates in similar positions as Hashmi to the table, when the alternative is an AI clone created by the opponent. A campaign spokesperson for the Democrat railed against the debate video, calling it a “desperate move” by Reid.