AI deepfakes flood US midterm ads; laws lag as $137M spent

AI-generated political ads with fabricated scenes are proliferating in US midterm campaigns, with $137 million spent on 220 such ads by Oct. 11, mostly by Republicans. Only four states ban certain deepfake uses in political ads, while 27 require disclosure, highlighting a regulatory gap. This marks a first major election cycle where AI-generated disinformation is widespread, raising concerns about electoral integrity.