Stories about AI-generated political content, like people setting off fireworks while drunk, often end in disaster. WIRED is monitoring the use of AI in political campaigns globally, which has already led to incidents such as pornographic deepfakes and misinformation-spewing chatbots. The US Federal Communications Commission has proposed mandatory disclosures for AI use in television and radio ads to tackle the issue. Nevertheless, despite concerns, some US political campaigns are embracing AI tools. One such tool is BattlegroundAI, a startup that uses generative AI to rapidly create digital advertising copy for progressive campaigns. The company positions itself as an extra team member that helps with structured ad creation on platforms like Facebook and Google.

BattlegroundAI's interface allows users to select from several language models and customize tone and creativity levels. It also guides users on targeting specific audiences and crafting messages for various issues. While the generated ad examples haven't been shared, the company emphasizes that its content requires human review and approval before dissemination. BattlegroundAI adheres to regulations surrounding AI in political ads and is open to using only public domain or licensed data for training its language models. The service aims to assist resource-constrained campaigns and reduce repetitive tasks, although some people express concerns about ethics and the potential impact on public trust. Despite these issues, BattlegroundAI remains focused on providing immediate help to its users.