Generative AI and Disinformation| Synthetic Diversity: Examining the Effects of Ethnic Targeting Using AI-Generated Political Ads

Abstract

Can deceptive use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) in advertisements influence support for political parties? Drawing on a survey experiment based on the tactics of a secessionist movement in South Africa, this study assesses whether targeting out-group ethnicities with diverse deepfake avatars can alter voter support. We iterate from existing work by varying the ethnicity of the presenter to assess whether AI-assisted alterations to author ethnicities can mobilize support for minority parties. The results indicate that coethnic speakers are more effective at mobilizing both personal and perceptions of societal support, even when content includes AI labels. Additional analyses indicate that AI literacy scores better predict respondents’ abilities to identify synthetic content than digital literacy and that coethnic avatars reduce skepticism toward AI-assisted messaging campaigns. The results of the study have implications for researchers and policy makers interested in understanding how synthetic media may be used for deceptive purposes in political campaigns.