NRSC releases AI-generated deepfake video of Senator Schumer in attack ad
The National Republican Senatorial Committee released an AI-generated deepfake video of Senator Chuck Schumer in an attack ad about a government shutdown, using artificial intelligence to depict him speaking words he actually said but in a fabricated video. The video included a small disclaimer but raised concerns from media experts about the use of synthetic media in political campaigns.
What happened
The National Republican Senatorial Committee released a 30-second attack ad on Friday containing an AI-generated deepfake video of Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer. The video depicts an artificially generated Schumer repeatedly saying 'every day gets better for us' in reference to an ongoing government shutdown, accompanied by a narrator claiming Democrats love the shutdown.
The phrase 'every day gets better for us' was a real quote from Schumer to Punchbowl News, but in his original statement he explained that Democrats had prepared a healthcare-focused shutdown strategy in advance. Rather than simply quote his words, the NRSC used AI software to create synthetic video footage of him speaking. The video included a small watermark stating 'AI GENERATED' in the bottom right corner and an additional 'Altered or synthetic content' label on YouTube.
Reported impact
The deepfake video raised alarms among observers who warned it crossed a new boundary in political campaigning and could unleash a flood of AI-generated deepfake attack ads, according to reporting. Professor Hany Farid of UC Berkeley, who studies manipulated media, stated that creating a deepfake was different from simply showing an image with an overlaid quote, and that the disclaimer was not particularly clear or obvious.
Governance controls
The NRSC included a small transparent watermark with the NRSC logo and the words 'AI GENERATED' in the bottom right-hand corner of the video. On YouTube, an additional 'Altered or synthetic content' label was applied to the video.
Classification
Sources and evidence
This record was researched and written by the Index, based on the following original reporting.