Key Takeaways Former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo's campaign ad featuring AI-generated images of himself as a train operator and stock trader has sparked controversy over labor and compliance issues...
Artificial intelligence has emerged as a powerful and controversial tool in New York politics, with candidates across the political spectrum deploying AI-generated imagery in campaign ads and social media posts, sometimes pushing or crossing legal boundaries established by recent state legislation.
Andrew Cuomo, running for New York City mayor, recently released a campaign advertisement featuring AI-generated versions of himself working as a subway train operator, stock trader, and stagehand. While the ad includes a disclaimer stating it was created with the assistance of artificial intelligence, questions have emerged about whether it fully complies with state law.
State Senator Kristen Gonzalez, chair of the Internet and Technology Committee and co-sponsor of the AI disclosure legislation, said the ad may fall short of legal requirements.
"I actually think it really was not in compliance with parts of our bill," Gonzalez told NY1. "That disclaimer was not legible for digital media, which is part of the requirements. It's supposed to be no smaller than other texts — it certainly was much smaller than other texts."
The advertisement also drew criticism for its implications regarding human labor.
Manhattan Assemblyman Alex Bores, who spearheaded legislation regulating AI-generated political imagery, noted, "It seemed like many of those shots could have been done with a real film crew."
The use of AI-generated content has become pervasive in New York political campaigns.
Before suspending his reelection bid, Mayor Eric Adams regularly deployed AI-generated images to attack Democratic nominee Zohran Mamdani and Cuomo. Adams' AI content typically featured an "AI GENERATED" tag in the lower right corner. An AI version of Adams even appeared in a trailer for a memoir by his ex-girlfriend Jasmine Ray.
Upstate Republican Congresswoman Elise Stefanik strongly objected to an AI video released in July by Democratic challenger Blake Gendebien that mocked her gubernatorial ambitions.
That video concluded with a disclaimer stating it "was generated in whole or substantially by artificial intelligence."
The most egregious case of AI misuse in the current election cycle involves Republican City Council candidate Jonathan Rinaldi in Queens.
Rinaldi has created dozens of AI-generated images, including photorealistic content showing himself delivering a speech at a large pro-Israel rally that never occurred.
He also posted doctored news articles falsely claiming endorsements from Andrew Cuomo and Queens Councilman Robert Holden, and created images suggesting his opponent, Councilwoman Lynn Schulman, had endorsed Mamdani.
When confronted by NY1, Rinaldi defended his actions. "It's not fake news," he said. "They're memes. When any person tries to go up against the establishment, you have to use every tool at your disposal."
Rinaldi had previously denied posting the images when contacted by the Queens Daily Eagle and claimed his accounts were hacked. His actions may expose him to legal consequences, as state law allows victims of political deepfakes to seek relief in court.
The state law passed by Assemblyman Bores requires disclaimers on AI-generated political content, though exemptions exist for satire or parody. However, enforcing these regulations has proven challenging, particularly as AI technology becomes more sophisticated.
"The obvious uses of AI, which I think are most of the campaign context, you instantly know are AI, so it's almost a stylistic choice," Bores said. "What worries me a lot more are the ones that are photorealistic, where you have a question as to whether that's AI."
Bores warned that technological advances will bring more deceptive applications. "AI is the latest version of CGI, and people have used CGI to make movies and to animate things.
This is not saying that we can never do it. But I do think that there is a key distinction when what is being presented is meant to appear like it is real but isn't," he said. "That is a problem that, as a society, we have to solve."
Further regulation at the federal level appears unlikely, particularly as President Donald Trump has aggressively used AI-generated content, including controversial videos posted last week mocking Congressman Hakeem Jeffries and Senator Charles Schumer.
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