AI campaign text sparks deepfake law questions in Minnesota - FOX 9 Minneapolis-St. Paul
A campaign text message criticizing a GOP Senate candidate in Minnesota and featuring an AI-generated image has sparked debate about deepfake laws.
- Incident date
- Apr 2026
- Target
- Adam Schwarze
Minnesota's political campaign season saw concerns raised over AI-generated campaign messages. The messages prompted discussion about the scope and applicability of the state's deepfake law.
What happened
A campaign text message criticized GOP Senate candidate Adam Schwarze. The message included an image that appeared to show Schwarze with former United Nations ambassador Nikki Haley. Concerns were raised on social media about the message. A 2023 law bans deepfake campaign messages within 90 days of a nominating convention. Legislators who worked to pass the law agreed that this particular instance would not fall under the ban. They characterized the AI image as more of a cartoon caricature than a realistic depiction.