Supplementary Data: We Looked at 78 Election Deepfakes. Political Misinformation is not an AI Problem.
This dataset contains 78 instances of AI use documented by the WIRED AI Elections Project.

Download raw data (CSV)
NameCountryCategoryDeceptive intent?Example cheapfakeCost
Russian Propaganda Unit Appears to Be Behind Spread of False Tim Walz Sexual Abuse ClaimsUSASow discord/confusionYesStage actorsHiring stage actors: 200$
Donald Trump Shares AI Generated Images Claiming Swifties Support HimUSACampaigningYesUse images of real people dressed in Swift t-shirts / Stage actors dressed in Taylor Swift shirts Producing and distributing trump t-shirts at a rally: 200$
Deepfake Video of Trump Dancing with Musk Goes ViralUSACampaigningNo
Russian Influence Network Promotes Faked Obama Audio After Trump Assassination AttemptUSASow discord/confusionYesVoice actorsVoice actor for 1 hour — 250$: https://www.voicecrafters.com/american-voice-actors/tim-h/
Iran Uses Generative AI Content to Target US ElectionsUSASow discord/confusionYesContent farmsUsing a website that generates synonyms for 99$/yr: https://yoast.com/wordpress/plugins/seo/ Hiring an editor — 9-24$ per page: https://www.fiverr.com/resources/guides/writing-and-copywriting/book-editing-costs#:~:text=Here's%20a%20list%20of%20industry,%249%20to%20%2424%20per%20page
X's Grok Spreads Election Misinformation About Kamala Harris' EligibilityUSAOverrelianceNo
Fake News Website Targeting US Elections Is Lithuanian AIUSAOverrelianceNoContent farmsUsing a website that generates synonyms for 99$/yr: https://yoast.com/wordpress/plugins/seo/
Deepfaked Video and Photos Appears to Show Kamala Harris as a Sex WorkerUSASow discord/confusionYesFace cloning, photoshopExpert photoshop / video editor can be hired for less than 60$/hour: https://www.upwork.com/hire/video-editors/cost/, https://www.upwork.com/hire/adobe-photoshop-experts/cost/
Fake Audio Appears to Make Kamala Harris Sound IncoherentUSASow discord/confusionYesSlowed video stiched togetherExpert photoshop / video editor can be hired for less than 60$/hour: https://www.upwork.com/hire/video-editors/cost/, https://www.upwork.com/hire/adobe-photoshop-experts/cost/
Michigan GOP candidate releases deepfake of MLKUSACampaigningNo
AI candidate runs for mayor in WyomingUSACampaigningNo
Meta's Llama 3 returns inaccurate information about Project 2025USAOverrelianceNo
The Democratic National Committee makes AI parody of Lara Trump's songUSACampaigningNo
Deepfake of Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau promotes scamsCanadaScamYesPhotoshop, face cloningExpert photoshop / video editor can be hired for less than 60$/hour: https://www.upwork.com/hire/video-editors/cost/, https://www.upwork.com/hire/adobe-photoshop-experts/cost/
Arizona newsletter makes a deepfake of Republican senate candidate Kari LakeUSAEducationNo
Deepfake of Joe Biden says Russia has occupied Kyiv for a decadeUSASow discord/confusionYesClipping unrelated videos, voice actorsJoe Biden voice actor: 200$/hour https://www.voicecrafters.com/australian-voice-actors/paul-d/ Expert photoshop / video editor can be hired for less than 60$/hour: https://www.upwork.com/hire/video-editors/cost/, https://www.upwork.com/hire/adobe-photoshop-experts/cost/
Little known US presidential candidate uses AI to campaign in American SamoaUSACampaigningNo
Fake images show Donald Trump with Black votersUSACampaigningYesPhotoshop, Clicking images with Black votersExpert photoshop / video editor can be hired for less than 60$/hour: https://www.upwork.com/hire/video-editors/cost/, https://www.upwork.com/hire/adobe-photoshop-experts/cost/
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. deploys Microsoft-powered AI chatbotUSACampaigningNo
Deepfake porn features Democratic Representative Alexandria Ocasio-CortezUSATrolling/defamationNoPhotoshop, face cloningExpert photoshop / video editor can be hired for less than 60$/hour: https://www.upwork.com/hire/video-editors/cost/, https://www.upwork.com/hire/adobe-photoshop-experts/cost/
AI-generated images of Joe Biden in military fatigues circulateUSACampaigningYesPhotoshopExpert photoshop / video editor can be hired for less than 60$/hour: https://www.upwork.com/hire/video-editors/cost/, https://www.upwork.com/hire/adobe-photoshop-experts/cost/
Deepfake of Mexican presidential candidate promotes fraudulent financial platformMexicoScamYesPhotoshop, face cloningExpert photoshop / video editor can be hired for less than 60$/hour: https://www.upwork.com/hire/video-editors/cost/, https://www.upwork.com/hire/adobe-photoshop-experts/cost/
Fake Joe Biden robocall in New Hampshire discourages people from votingUSAVoting misinformationYesVoice actorsJoe Biden voice actor: 200$/hour https://www.voicecrafters.com/australian-voice-actors/paul-d/ Expert photoshop / video editor can be hired for less than 60$/hour: https://www.upwork.com/hire/video-editors/cost/, https://www.upwork.com/hire/adobe-photoshop-experts/cost/
Super PAC for (former) presidential hopeful Dean Philips launches AI chatbotUSACampaigningNo
Democratic candidate for Congress uses AI in political adUSACampaigningNo
Mexican presidential candidate uses AI spokesperson for campaignMexicoCampaigningNo
Democratic candidates experiment with AI campaign caller AshleyUSACampaigningNo
Fake audio appears to depict head of Mexico City government interfering in electionsMexicoSow discord/confusionYesVoice actorsVoice actor: 200$/hr
Venezuelan Journalists Use AI Avatars to Cover Election ProtestsVenezuelaPrivacyNo
Indian politicians use AI for voter outreachIndiaCampaigningNo
Deepfake shows Indian politician promising Muslim constituents a mosque and policy changeIndiaSow discord/confusionYesVoice actorsVoice actor: 200$/hr
Deepfake Video Falsely Shows Rahul Gandhi Being Sworn in as Prime MinisterIndiaCampaigningNo
Deepfake shows Bollywood actor Ranveer Singh criticizing Prime Minister Narendra ModiIndiaVoting misinformationYesVoice actors over existing videos; voices overlaid on imagesVoice actor: 200$/hr; video editor: 50$/hr; photoshop expert: 50$/hr
Associates of India's BJP share AI-generated media of opposition politician singing in jailIndiaTrolling/defamationNo
Donald Trump deepfake appears to support former Pakistani prime minister Imran KhanPakistanSow discord/confusionYesVoice actors (Trump impersonators)Voice actor: 200$/hr
Deepfake claims to show Muslim politician in India reciting Hindu prayerIndiaVoting misinformationYesVoice actors overlaid on videoVoice actor: 200$/hr; video editor: 50$/hr
South Indian political party uses AI to resurrect dead leader to campaignIndiaCampaigningNo
Indian MP Interviews Deepfake of HimselfIndiaCampaigningNo
Former Pakistani leader Imran Khan delivers a deepfake 'victory speech' from jailPakistanSow discord/confusionNo
Deepfake 'resurrects' former Indonesian dictator Suharto to support allied politicianIndonesiaPropagandaNo
Indonesian political consulting firm uses generative AI to write candidate speechesIndonesiaCampaigningNo
AI-generated cartoon softens image of Indonesian presidential candidateIndonesiaCampaigningNo
Series of deepfakes encourage election boycotts in PakistanPakistanVoting misinformationYesVideo editors, voice actorsVoice actor: 200$/hr; video editor: 50$/hr
Deepfake of US congressman appears to support Taiwan's Democratic Progressive PartyTaiwanVoting misinformationYesVideo editors, voice actorsVoice actor: 200$/hr; video editor: 50$/hr
Deepfake appears to show Bangladeshi politician dropping out of raceBangladeshVoting misinformationYesEdited photos, videos, voice actorsVoice actor: 200$/hr; video editor: 50$/hr; photoshop expert: 50$/hr
Deepfake shows Indian finance minister endorsing crypto trading platformIndiaScamYesEdited photos, videos, voice actorsVoice actor: 200$/hr; video editor: 50$/hr; photoshop expert: 50$/hr
Indian Prime Minister Uses Real Time AI-Translation Tool During CampaignIndiaCampaigningNo
Deepfake of Chinese president Xi Jinping appears to support Taiwan's electionsTaiwanTrolling/defamationNo
Manipulated video alleges Taiwanese presidential candidate has mistressesTaiwanTrolling/defamationYesActors200$/hr
Deepfake appears to show Pakistani politician belly dancingPakistanTrolling/defamationNoPhotoshopPhotoshop expert: 50$/hr
Deepfake shows Indonesian defense minister and presidential candidate speaking ArabicIndonesiaVoting misinformationYesEdited video, voice actorsVoice actor: 200$/hr; video editor: 50$/hr
Deepfake of Taiwanese presidential candidate supports collaboration between opposition partiesTaiwanSow discord/confusionYesEdited video, voice actorsVoice actor: 200$/hr; video editor: 50$/hr
Deepfake of exiled Bangladeshi politician says the party should keep quiet" about Gaza"BangladeshSow discord/confusionYesEdited video, voice actorsVoice actor: 200$/hr; video editor: 50$/hr
Taiwanese media receives 'leaked' deepfake audio of internal political meetingTaiwanSow discord/confusionYesEdited video, voice actorsVoice actor: 200$/hr; video editor: 50$/hr
French Far-Right Leans Into Generative AI Content Before ElectionsFranceHateful rhetoricNo
AI Videos Flood TikTok Ahead of UK ElectionsUKTrolling/defamationNo
Italian Far-Right Party Used Generative AI for Months Leading Up to EU ElectionsItalyHateful rhetoricNo
AI candidate runs for UK ParliamentUKCampaigningNo
Deepfakes of EU and UK government officials promote scam on Meta's platformsMultipleScamYesEdited video, photos, voice actorsVoice actor: 200$/hr; video editor: 50$/hr; photoshop expert: 50$/hr
Germany's far-right party used AI-manipulated image in hateful ads on Facebook and InstagramGermanyHateful rhetoricNo
Russian Bot Network Using Gen AI Targets Moldovan PresidentMoldovaSow discord/confusionYesActors (acknowledged in the article too)200$/hr
Victoria Shi, AI-generated spokesperson, will give statements for Ukraine's foreign ministryUkraineGovernment messagingNo
Gemini, Copilot, and ChatGPT share inaccurate information on EU electionsMultipleOverrelianceNo
Deepfakes of Family of French Far-Right Leader Go ViralFranceSow discord/confusionYesActors (since the family members don't exist anyway)200$/hr
Deepfake of UK politician Keir Starmer appears to swear at stafferUKSow discord/confusionYesEdited video, voice actingVoice actor: 200$/hr; video editor: 50$/hr
A fake candidate runs for president in Belarus as a stand-in for dissidentsBelarusCampaigningNo
Deepfaked video of broadcast alleges Ukraine tried to assassinate French presidentFranceSow discord/confusionYesEdited photo, videoVoice actor: 200$/hr; video editor: 50$/hr; photoshop expert: 50$/hr
Deepfake of Istanbul's Mayor Appears to Praise Turkish President's PartyTurkeyVoting misinformationYesEdited photo/video, voice actorsVoice actor: 200$/hr; video editor: 50$/hr; photoshop expert: 50$/hr
Deepfake shows Ukrainian president Volodymry Zelensky dancingUkraineTrolling/defamationNo
Deepfake of Moldovan president spreads conspiracies about her administrationMoldovaSow discord/confusionYesEdited video, voice actorsVoice actor: 200$/hr; video editor: 50$/hr
Microsoft's Copilot chatbot generates misinformation about the European electionsMultipleOverrelianceNo
AI-generated Putin Interviews PutinRussiaCampaigningNo
Slovakian politician appears to plan election interference in faked audioSlovakiaSow discord/confusionYesEdited video, voice actorsVoice actor: 200$/hr; video editor: 50$/hr
AI Bot Network Boosts Ghanaian Political PartyGhanaPropagandaYesHiring online disinfo servicesDisinfo writers: 300$/month (https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/craigsilverman/disinformation-for-hire-black-pr-firms)
Influence Campaign Used ChatGPT to Promote Rwanda's PresidentRwandaPropagandaYesText generated using more primitive toolsUsing a website that generates synonyms for 99$/yr: https://yoast.com/wordpress/plugins/seo/ Hiring an editor — 9-24$ per page: https://www.fiverr.com/resources/guides/writing-and-copywriting/book-editing-costs#:~:text=Here's%20a%20list%20of%20industry,%249%20to%20%2424%20per%20page
Deepfake of Joe Biden Threatens Sanctions on South Africa During ElectionsSouth AfricaVoting misinformationYesEdited video, voice actorsVoice actor: 200$/hr; video editor: 50$/hr
Deepfake of Donald Trump endorsing South African political partySouth AfricaVoting misinformationYesEdited video, voice actorsVoice actor: 200$/hr; video editor: 50$/hr
Deepfake appears to show Eminem endorsing South African opposition partySouth AfricaVoting misinformationYesEdited video, voice actorsVoice actor: 200$/hr; video editor: 50$/hr