Jess Wilson and Warren Pickering AI media incident

Victorian Labor recently sparked controversy by posting an AI-generated video to its official Instagram page that depicted Opposition Leader Jess Wilson and One Nation leader Warren Pickering. The video, which featured synthetic versions of the two politicians, was used to promote claims regarding healthcare policy.

What happened

The AI-generated content featured Jess Wilson appearing to trick-or-treat alongside a synthetic version of Warren Pickering. In the video, the AI-generated likeness of Ms. Wilson warns voters that a future Liberal government would introduce Americanized healthcare, falsely claiming that a heart attack would cost a patient $150,000 for care. The video utilized Ms. Wilson's face and voice to deliver these claims.

The release of the video prompted criticism from political opponents and experts regarding the potential for public confusion and the erosion of trust in political communications. Swinburne University AI expert Atie Kia warned that such content forces voters to act as detectives when consuming election material and may lead to increased cynicism. Despite these concerns, Treasurer Colin Brooks defended the party's use of the technology, arguing that the video was a representation of the subjects' positions and that viewers would not be fooled into believing the footage was genuine. The incident has fueled calls from the Victorian Greens for a ban on AI-generated political deepfakes and the implementation of truth in political advertising laws, similar to regulations already in place in South Australia and New South Wales.