AI-generated political ad in St. Charles County raises…

In July 2026, a political advertisement featuring AI-generated likenesses of St. Charles County executive candidates Steve Ehlmann and Bill Eigel surfaced just two weeks before the primary election. The ad, which was paid for by third candidate Jason Law, utilized synthetic media to portray his political opponents in a manner that Law described as a clever and humorous alternative to traditional attack ads.

What happened

The advertisement was produced using artificial intelligence to generate the likenesses of Ehlmann, Eigel, and Law himself. According to Law, the concept was inspired by a viral campaign from Los Angeles and was intended to generate significant public engagement, successfully garnering tens of thousands of views within the first 24 hours of its release. While Law characterized the production as a creative messaging tool, the subjects of the ad expressed strong disapproval. Ehlmann criticized the content as dishonest and a political stunt, while Eigel dismissed the portrayal as fundamentally dishonest.

Experts note that this incident highlights the growing gap between rapid technological advancement and current election laws. Dr. Timothy Lewis of Harris-Stowe State University observed that while AI is now pervasive in local election cycles, there is a lack of comprehensive federal regulation regarding deepfakes of real people. Because Missouri has not yet enacted specific bans or mandatory disclosure requirements for AI in political advertising, the responsibility currently falls on the public to verify information and distinguish between authentic and synthetic content. The incident underscores the ongoing challenge for voters to remain informed in an era where technology frequently outpaces legislative oversight.