$137M of AI-made ads flood the US midterms

Corrected 19 Oct: $137M counts ads made at least partly with AI; 27% carried an AI label. All corrections

More than $137 million has been spent on political ads made at least partly with AI ahead of the 2026 US midterm elections. Most of those ads do not tell viewers that AI was used. That means you may already have watched one without knowing it.

What happened

Campaigns and political groups have spent more than $137 million on ads made at least partly with AI tools, based on data from the Wesleyan Media Project, Gizmodo reports. The figure was first reported by The New York Times on 16 October 2026. We could not open the Times page, so we used Gizmodo and other outlets that cite it.

The group has found 220 AI-assisted political ads across 34 states this year. Gizmodo says the true number is probably higher, because it can be hard to tell whether AI was used. Only 27% of the ads it found carried a note telling viewers the content was made with AI.

A co-director of the project said the 2024 election cycle had less than $50,000 in identified AI-ad spending, which makes this year a huge jump. The same co-director also said that much of the AI use "is not disclosed through any type of disclaimer."

Key facts

• Spending: more than $137 million on ads made at least partly with AI, per Wesleyan Media Project data (Gizmodo).
• Count: 220 AI-assisted political ads found in 34 states so far this year.
• Labels: only 27% of those ads had an AI disclaimer.
• Rules: only 30 states require AI disclosure in political ads, per Gizmodo.
• Party split: Republican candidates and groups were behind 81% of the identified AI ads and 88% of the related spending. Democrats sponsored 12% of the ads.
• Content: nearly half of the identified ads show deepfakes of real politicians, according to Gizmodo.

Background

In 2024, the project counted under $50,000 on AI ads, per the same Gizmodo report. This year the number has climbed past $137 million.

The party gap has an explanation, Gizmodo says. A project co-director told The New York Times that Democrats carry more reputation risk because their party is arguing for rules on the technology. Not every AI ad is meant to fool people, either. The report notes some campaigns use AI for stock footage and to cut production costs.

One example from ABC affiliate coverage is an ad showing a New York mayor and governor walking through a yard promoting a made-up pill called the "political delusion bill." That ad had no AI disclaimer.

In New York, Gizmodo says, the state Democratic Party filed a complaint in August with the state Board of Elections. It says a Republican candidate for governor broke a law that requires disclosures on political ads with deceptive AI content. The candidate's campaign replied that satire does not need a disclosure.

What it means for you

Do not trust a political video just because it looks real. A label may not be there, even when AI was used.

Our take: a few simple habits help. Check whether a clip appears on the candidate's own page or in news coverage. Be careful with videos that show someone doing something shocking or out of character. Wait before you share.

What happens next

Gizmodo says the midterms are just over two weeks away and expects more AI-made political ads on TV and social media before then.

FAQ

How much has been spent on AI political ads?

More than $137 million, per the Wesleyan Media Project data as reported by Gizmodo. That covers ads made at least partly with AI.

Do AI political ads have to be labelled?

It depends on the state. Gizmodo says only 30 states require disclosure of AI in political ads, and just 27% of the ads found had a disclaimer.

Who is running most of these ads?

Republican candidates and groups were behind 81% of the identified AI ads and 88% of the related spending, according to the same report.

Sources

• nytimes.com
• gizmodo.com
• abcnews4.com