Republicans Lead $80 Million AI Political Ad Spending

The Wesleyan Media Project tracked approximately $80 million in spending across nearly 170 unique AI-generated political advertisements during the 2026 U.S. midterm campaigns. The research, supported by data from AdImpact, reveals a sharp partisan divide in the adoption of the technology. Republican candidates and affiliated interest groups accounted for 80% of the ads and 83% of the total spending.

Content in these advertisements varies from subtle visual enhancements to hyperrealistic deepfakes featuring prominent figures including Donald Trump, Kamala Harris, and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. The study highlights a systemic failure in transparency, as only 31% of the tracked advertisements included disclaimers regarding the use of AI.

Researchers found that the current patchwork of state laws has little correlation with actual disclosure rates. Some advertisers ignore legal requirements to provide disclaimers, while others voluntarily include them in states where no such regulations exist.