JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — You may have seen an AI-generated video floating around social media depicting a dystopian future under a hypothetical administration led by GOP Gubernatorial frontrunner Congressman Byron Donalds, suggesting the state would be overrun with data centers and marijuana dispensaries.
The video then moves on to an AI-generated depiction of Florida Lieutenant Governor and GOP Gubernatorial candidate Jay Collins wearing a Captain America uniform, who steps in to save the day.
The video, which was shared by an account associated with Collins’ Gubernatorial campaign, is now raising new questions about how AI-generated content might be used ahead of the upcoming elections.
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“We’re kind of in the Wild West of political ads now,” said Jacksonville University Political Science Professor Dr. Matthew Corrigan.
Corrigan argued Floridians should expect a lot more AI-generated content in the weeks and months to come.
“Basically, anybody with a laptop can be a mean and tough political consultant,” said Corrigan. ”And campaigns can just forward these videos and what they’re hoping for obviously is for something to become viral.”
An account called the Collins War Room posted the video earlier this week alongside the caption, “Our supporters have outdone themselves with this one!”
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Under a new state law, any “electioneering communication” using AI that “appears to depict a real person performing an action that did not actually occur” with the intent to “injure a candidate” is supposed to be accompanied by a disclaimer explaining AI was used to generate the content.
The video shared by the Collins War Room account included no such message.
When asked whether the campaign believes it should have included the disclaimer, a spokesperson with the Collins campaign told us, “As the campaign did not create this content, we see it as resharing an article or favorable news media of Jay”.
Corrigan said given the law is so new and untested, it’s hard to say whether the campaign should have included a disclaimer.
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But he expects that before the race is over, that law very well may be put to the test.
“But the bottom line is we’re in a new world. Your viewers are in a new world of trying to figure out what’s accurate information,” said Corrigan.
Action News Jax reached out to the Donalds campaign, asking if they wanted to provide a response to the video shared by the Collins War Room account.
The campaign declined to respond.
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