Artificial intelligence raises new questions for Minnesota campaigns

Artificial intelligence raises new questions for Minnesota campaigns as lawmakers, candidates, and outside groups navigate how AI-generated political content should be handled. In early June, a pro-U.S. Rep. Angie Craig TV ad by North Star Dawn PAC showed Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan posed atop cash while holding her hand out for more money. Craig and Flanagan are rivals in the Aug. 11 Democratic primary for U.S. Senate. The dispute centers on whether the ad may breach Minnesota’s 2023 deepfake law, which bars dissemination of political deepfakes within 90 days of a nominating convention. An AI expert, Dr. Manjeet Rege of the University of St. Thomas, said AI use is often hidden in drafting, summarizing, and sorting data. He warned of both deliberate deception and errors like confidently incorrect election logistics. Senator Zach Duckworth said tighter review could become a bipartisan issue, while other legal views consider some campaign uses less concerning than deceptive ones.