Spain Election Fight Over AI Ad

Tension in Spanish politics has intensified as the People's Party released a deepfake advertisement that has sparked a legal and cultural fight just weeks before general elections. The clip, which aired on the conservative party's social media channels this week, uses artificial intelligence to simulate confessions from figures linked to the governing Socialist party. The visual manipulation depicts individuals admitting to soliciting prostitutes and accepting kickbacks, framing these acts as part of a broader pattern of misconduct.

The most prominent figure in the video is Begoña Gómez, the wife of Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez. The AI-generated avatar of Gómez speaks about securing a university position due to her husband's political power. Another segment features a deepfake of former Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero discussing the concealment of jewellery in a safe. Both subjects are currently under investigation, and both have publicly denied any wrongdoing. By Friday, the clip had accumulated nearly 2 million views, prompting a rapid response from the Socialist leadership.

Óscar López, the minister for digital transformation, criticized the spot on TVE television. He described the content as a colossal lie delivered through official party accounts. López pointed out that the label identifying the content as AI-generated appeared in tiny, nearly transparent text at the bottom of the screen. He warned that viewers unfamiliar with digital tools could easily mistake the simulation for reality. On the same day, Leire Díez, a former Socialist member whose likeness was also used, filed a court complaint against the People's Party. She sought an immediate removal of the advert and alleged defamation and digital identity theft.

Legal analysis suggests the opposition may be safe from a lawsuit. Nine legal experts consulted by El País concluded the video was likely legal because it was labelled as AI-generated and maintained a satirical tone. Íñigo Navarro, a former dean of law at Madrid's Comillas Pontifical University, argued that the context made it clear the figures were not actually speaking. Juan Antonio Lascuraín, a criminal law professor at the Autonomous University of Madrid, distinguished between legality and ethical appropriateness, noting that the video could be legally sound while still being politically controversial.

José Javier Olivas, an associate professor at the National University for Distance Education, argued the tactic crossed a red line. He noted that the party claims to want to revitalise democracy while using deepfakes to put words in rivals' mouths. He classified the act as disinformation, observing that both mainstream parties have been attacking each other's morality. The People's Party has dismissed the criticism. Borja Sémper stated there is no problem unless there was malicious intent to make viewers believe the characters were real. He argued the video highlights Socialist hypocrisy using digital tools.

The Spanish debate mirrors trends in the United States ahead of its midterm elections. A Wesleyan University report identified more than 200 ads using AI, most associated with Republicans. Erika Franklin Fowler, co-director of the Wesleyan Media Project, noted that less than $50,000 was spent on such ads in the 2024 cycle. She observed that much of the current usage lacks a disclaimer. In Spain, most polls indicate the People's Party will win the election on November 29. The party will likely need support from the far-right Vox party to form a government.