AI Election Ad Hits 2 Million Views Before Court Filing

A political advertisement released by Spain’s People's Party reached nearly 2 million views by Friday after using artificial intelligence to imitate the voices and faces of figures associated with the ruling Socialist party.

The video, posted on the party’s social media channels earlier this week, features an AI-generated version of Begoña Gómez, the wife of Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez. In the clip, she discusses obtaining a university position due to her husband’s role. A deepfake of former Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero also appears, claiming he hid jewelry in a safe. Both individuals are currently under investigation and have denied any wrongdoing.

Leire Díez, a former Socialist member whose likeness was used in the video, filed a court complaint against the People's Party on Friday. She requested the immediate removal of the advert and alleged defamation and digital identity theft. The video implies that she worked to undermine the judiciary and law enforcement to benefit her former party.

Óscar López, Spain’s digital transformation minister, criticized the spot during an interview with broadcaster TVE. He described the ad as a “colossal lie” and noted that the AI label appeared in tiny, nearly transparent text at the bottom of the screen. He warned that viewers unfamiliar with the technology could easily mistake the generated images for reality.

Legal experts consulted by the newspaper El País largely defended the People's Party’s position. Eight of the nine experts reviewed the clip and concluded it was likely not illegal because it was labelled as AI-generated and maintained a satirical tone. Juan Antonio Lascuraín, a criminal law professor at the Autonomous University of Madrid, argued that the video’s legality is distinct from questions of ethical appropriateness.

Despite the legal assessment, some academic observers criticized the move. José Javier Olivas, an associate professor at the National University for Distance Education, called the use of deepfakes by a party claiming to revitalise democracy “regrettable.” He stated that putting words in others’ mouths qualifies as disinformation and crossed a “red line” in political campaigning.

The controversy parallels trends in the United States, where a Wesleyan University research group identified more than 200 AI-generated ads ahead of next month’s midterm elections. Erika Franklin Fowler, co-director of the project, noted that spending on such ads in the 2024 cycle was under $50,000 and that many current examples lack disclaimers. The Spanish general election is scheduled for November 29, with most polls indicating the People's Party will win but require support from the far-right Vox party to govern.