Court Filing Challenges Viral AI Election Ad

Leire Díez filed a court complaint on Friday against Spain's People's Party, demanding the immediate removal of a political video that uses artificial intelligence to mimic the likenesses of key figures in the ruling Socialist party. The conservative group released the clip on its social media channels earlier this week, employing deepfake technology to create the illusion that party insiders were confessing to various improprieties. The video has attracted nearly two million views as the country prepares for general elections on November 29.

The advertisement features an AI-generated version of Begoña Gómez, the wife of Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, discussing how she obtained a university position. It also includes a deepfake of former prime minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero claiming he hid jewelry in a safe. Both individuals have denied any wrongdoing, though their cases are subject to ongoing investigations. Díez, whose image appears in the video, accused the People's Party of defamation and digital identity theft. She alleged that the clip used her likeness to suggest she worked to undermine the judiciary to benefit her former party.

The Socialist party responded swiftly to the release. Digital transformation minister Óscar López described the ad as a "colossal lie" during an interview with TVE. He criticized the party for posting the content on its official accounts and noted that the label identifying the video as AI-generated was small and nearly transparent. He warned that viewers unfamiliar with the technology might mistake the footage for reality.

Legal analysis suggests the People's Party holds a strong position. Nine legal experts consulted by El País agreed that the video is likely not illegal because it carries an AI label and maintains a satirical tone. Íñigo Navarro, a former dean at Madrid's Comillas Pontifical University, argued that the context makes it clear the figures did not actually say those things. Juan Antonio Lascuraín, a criminal law professor at the Autonomous University of Madrid, distinguished legality from ethical appropriateness.

Academic observers have raised concerns about the tactic. José Javier Olivas, an associate professor at Spain's National University for Distance Education, called the use of deepfakes by a party seeking to revitalise democracy regrettable. He stated that placing words in other people's mouths constitutes disinformation and crossed a red line. Similar issues are appearing in the United States, where a Wesleyan University report found more than 200 ads using AI for the upcoming midterms, most associated with Republicans.

The People's Party has dismissed the criticism. Borja Sémper, a party figure, stated that a problem would exist only if the party intended to deceive viewers into thinking the characters were real. He maintained that the video effectively highlights Socialist hypocrisy. Most polls indicate the People's Party will win the November 29 election, though it will likely require support from the far-right Vox party to form a government.