AI chatbots impersonate candidates in new wave of political texting campaigns

Political campaigns are deploying artificial intelligence bots trained to mimic specific candidates, enabling them to carry out personalized text-message conversations with thousands of voters at once. Georgia Public Broadcasting and NPR reported that the bots are taught to sound like the candidate they represent, making the interactions feel as though the voter is speaking directly to the person seeking office.

2 sources

Georgia Public BroadcastingGetting campaign text messages ahead of midterms? There could be an AI bot behind itNPRGetting campaign text messages ahead of midterms? There could be an AI bot behind it

"Taught to sound like a candidate, bots are engaging voters with personalized text messages making AI-generated texting conversations the latest tool political campaigns are using to connect."

The technology gathers data on voter preferences during the exchange, which campaigns then use to refine their broader messaging. According to wkms.org, the AI-powered platforms allow campaigns to reach far more people than human staffers could, while simultaneously collecting detailed information about what issues matter most to each recipient.

wkms.orgPolitical campaigns use AI-powered bots for personalized voter text messaging, raising ethical concerns

"These bots gather data on voter preferences and use that information to shape future campaign messaging."

But the rise of AI-aided political outreach has sparked concerns among ethics watchdogs. wkms.org highlighted questions around transparency and consent, noting that voters may not realize they are interacting with an algorithm rather than a real campaign worker. Critics also worry about the potential for manipulation, since the bot can adapt its tone and arguments in real time based on the voter's responses.

While the practice is still new, its rapid adoption suggests that targeted, high-volume texting will become a standard feature of modern campaigning. The ethical questions, however, remain largely unresolved as regulators and voters alike struggle to keep pace with the technology.