In the lead-up to the 2024 election, concerns about the impact of generative artificial intelligence on social media have not materialized as expected. Instead, voters are being bombarded with absurd AI-generated memes that range from former President Donald Trump riding a cat while wielding an assault rifle to Vice President Kamala Harris dressed in communist attire. While these memes may seem cartoonish and outlandish, they have become a tool for spreading false and politically charged messages.
Both Trump and his allies have been active in promoting unfounded conspiracy theories through AI-generated memes. One such meme claimed that Haitian migrants were stealing and eating cats and dogs in Springfield, Ohio. These images, shared on social media platforms, perpetuate racist and xenophobic narratives. Experts argue that elected officials using such imagery to propagate racism and xenophobia is a significant problem.
Republicans defend these images as lighthearted jokes, attributing them to Trump’s communication style. They argue that the intent is to entertain rather than deceive. While Democrats have also used AI-generated memes, Trump and his supporters appear to be utilizing AI image generators more frequently. The accessibility and speed of generative AI tools allow campaigns to create and disseminate political content rapidly, targeting specific audiences.
The use of AI for political satire and propaganda is not limited to the United States. Similar tactics have been observed in elections worldwide, from Indonesia to the Netherlands. Sinister deepfakes have also attempted to influence races, such as AI audio clips impersonating political figures or robocalls featuring deepfake voices.
Trump’s embrace of AI-generated images contradicts his previous remarks about the dangers of artificial intelligence. Some Republicans, like Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, have expressed concerns about the use of AI in political memes and choose not to engage in such practices.
While these AI-generated memes may seem harmless or comical, they can perpetuate damaging conspiracy theories and misinformation. The hyperrealism of these images gives them a stronger impact, drawing attention to the underlying political messages they convey.