Project date: 14 November 2023
Link: https://bit.ly/AIcampaigning
This report offers a wide-ranging exploration of how artificial intelligence is reshaping the landscape of political campaigning and civic engagement. Drawing on months of workshops, hack days, and collaboration across networks like the Civic AI Observatory and the Progressive AI Network, the guide is both a practical briefing and a strategic reflection on the promises and pitfalls of emerging AI tools.
At its core, the report outlines how tools such as ChatGPT, Midjourney, and Whisper are opening up new possibilities for campaigners. These include accelerating content creation, improving internal knowledge management, enabling more personalised voter engagement, and increasing the capacity of smaller campaigning organisations to punch above their weight. From generating email drafts and social media posts to helping volunteers find information faster, AI has the potential to streamline day-to-day work and free up more time for human-to-human organising.
However, these opportunities are balanced by serious challenges. The report warns that AI models can produce false or misleading information, spread disinformation, and reflect the biases of the data they are trained on. There are also risks around privacy, reputational harm, and the potential for AI to erode public trust—especially if used unethically or without transparency. Tools that generate synthetic content, like AI-generated images or chatbot-driven engagement, must be handled with care to avoid misleading audiences or fuelling polarisation.
The guide is grounded in real-world case studies. It highlights examples like Swindon Council, which dramatically reduced translation costs using AI, and Citizens Advice Scotland, which trialled AI chatbots to support service delivery. It also explores more controversial uses, such as the DeSantis campaign’s deployment of AI bots to chat with voters, and Amnesty International’s use of AI-generated protest images—raising important ethical questions about authenticity and public perception.
To help organisations navigate this complex terrain, the report offers a nine-step strategic approach. It encourages teams to develop AI usage policies, map out opportunities in their workflows, experiment carefully, train staff, and remain committed to ongoing evaluation and ethical scrutiny. The emphasis throughout is on using AI to support—not replace—human judgement, empathy, and accountability.
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