It’s Time For The Biden Campaign To Embrace AI

The stakes of the 2024 presidential election cannot be overstated. With Donald Trump promising to act as a dictator “on day one,” it is not hyperbolic to say the future of American democracy hangs in the balance. Against this backdrop, the Biden campaign faces a critical challenge: conveying a strong and effective image of President Joe Biden to a population and media ecosystem increasingly focused on optics over substance. Given the president’s concerning performance last week, it’s time for the Biden campaign to consider leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) to effectively reach the voting public.

While of course there are reasonable hesitations to break this dam on the use of modern technology in presidential campaigning, the consequences of not taking this approach could be dire. Moreover, in the currently under-regulated electoral landscape, refusing to use modern tools like AI is akin to entering the boxing ring with one hand tied behind your back. 

Joe Biden is old and has had a lifelong stutter. He acknowledged in a fiery rally following his debate performance: “I might not walk as easily or talk as smoothly as I used to.” This has impeded his ability to communicate with mass audiences with consistent success. AI augmentations and video renderings could serve to smooth out these bumps while allowing the Biden campaign to effectively disseminate true information about the state of our democracy and the Biden administration’s accomplishments. The president has limited time to campaign as he also focuses on running the country, and AI would be a cost-effective and efficient way to communicate his message personally and directly to voters. 

Despite an ambitious and widely praised first term in office, he is currently trailing in polls to a man who incited an insurrection and was recently convicted on 34 felony counts. Something needs to change, and much to the chagrin of West Wing fanatics in the beltway, it won’t be the Democrats’ 2024 nominee. Modern technology offers a clear solution. AI can be used to polish how the president comes across, allowing voters to focus on his substance. How many times have we heard voters and pundits alike gripe that “Biden would be the perfect candidate if he were just 10 years younger?” With modern technology, this exact deliverable is possible.  

Reasonably, some may challenge the use of AI as dishonest and deceptive, but the current information ecosystem is arguably no better. It may even be worse. Media outlets like the New York Post have engaged in sharing deceptively cropped viral clips of the president, dubbed ‘cheapfakes,’ to make him appear confused or weak. Though no excuse for Biden’s weak debate performance, CNN elected to allow Trump to lie for the full 90-minute debate with zero fact-checking. They offered fact-checking over an hour after the debate, which realistically, a mere fraction of the debate audience stayed tuned for. Social media outlets like Instagram and TikTok have cracked down on political content, while rightwing billionaire Elon Musk has used Twitter to amplify false information about the election and boost Republicans. Even once great institutions like The Washington Post have transitioned into Murdoch-style tabloids. 

We must ask the question, are augmented AI videos that present Biden in his best form ― while sharing honest and accurate information ― really more socially damaging than our information ecosystem’s current realities? I think not. 

AI-generated content can be tailored to highlight President Biden’s accomplishments, clearly articulate his policies, and present a consistent, compelling message. In an era where visual mediums and quick, digestible content dominate public perceptions, AI offers an opportunity for more effective communication. These AI-enhanced videos could ensure that the public does not make decisions about the future of our democracy based on an inconveniently timed cough, stray stutter, or healthy but hobbled walk (Biden suffers from a ‘stiff gait’). 

Aesthetic enhancements aside, another significant advantage of AI is its ability to produce high-quality content efficiently. This would allow the campaign to respond rapidly to current events, misinformation and the fast-paced news cycle. As the great Mark Twain said, “A lie can travel halfway around the world while the truth is still putting on its shoes.” With AI, the truth could at least lace-up a little faster. In a world where misinformation and disinformation spreads virally, often through short-form video content, having the capability to produce polished, articulate responses in real-time could be a game-changer. Given the stakes of this election, “flooding the zone” with the truth could in fact be our only chance at protecting our democracy. 

The use of AI renderings in political campaigns is becoming increasingly common, and the Republican Party has already embraced this technology and is using AI in their attack ads against the president. Instead of a race to the bottom, the Biden campaign could consider an ethical way to deploy the same tools. I have no doubt that should Trump reenter the White House, AI will be weaponized to generate MAGA propaganda. Just as the Obama White House missed an opportunity to demonstrate appropriate use of platforms like Twitter, failing to properly engage with advanced technologies will not stop their abuse and misuse by bad actors who follow.

Biden’s campaign could instead set the standard and norms for what should be reasonable use of AI tools in the campaign arena. For example, disclaimers could be included on AI-generated content. This transparency could help maintain trust while leveraging AI’s benefits. Properly adapting to modern technology would also show that the campaign is agile and keeping pace with the times, contrasting with criticism of Biden over his age. 

Until now, it has been almost taken as a given that using AI renderings of the president would violate some ethical baseline of campaigning. In an ideal world that may be so. Yet, what last week’s debate made clear is just how far from any such ideal our current reality is. The greatest moral and ethical imperative for those who care about American democracy should be keeping the man who tried to overthrow it as far away from the White House as possible.

Equivocating over the use of AI will do nothing to stop its abuse and misuse should Republicans regain power this November. It is incumbent upon the Biden campaign to use every tool available to make sure the president’s reelection bid is successful. Instead of a new candidate, AI allows Democrats to address the main vulnerabilities of our current standard bearer while embracing an inevitability of modern politics.