Overview
- The New York State Democratic Committee filed a formal complaint Monday asking the State Board of Elections and the Public Campaign Finance Board to investigate Bruce Blakeman’s AI-created campaign materials.
- The complaint says many Blakeman videos and social posts lacked the disclosure required by a state law that covers “materially deceptive” AI media and that the campaign has been inconsistent in adding disclaimers.
- City & State and other outlets previously identified an AI “South Park”–style video that used realistic-sounding voices for Gov. Kathy Hochul and Mayor Zohran Mamdani and only received a disclaimer after reporters asked about it.
- Blakeman’s campaign defends the ads under a satire exemption and has continued posting AI-generated clips, including new videos depicting Mamdani and Hochul, while the complaint argues public matching funds may have paid for materials that break the law.
- The complaint asks regulators to apply the disclosure rule and to ensure state matching dollars are not used for potentially unlawful AI ads, a decision that could set enforcement precedent for AI in political advertising before November’s gubernatorial race.