A political advertisement from Spain’s main opposition party has ignited outrage and sparked a broader debate on artificial intelligence (AI) as the country prepares for general elections next month. The conservative People’s Party (PP) launched a deepfake video this week across its social media channels, manipulating the likenesses of various individuals associated with Pedro Sánchez’s Socialist Party to make it appear as though they were admitting to wrongdoing.
Controversial Content
The video features an AI-generated version of Begoña Gómez, Sánchez’s wife, discussing how she received a university position due to her husband's role. Additionally, a deepfake of former Socialist president José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero is shown speaking about hiding jewelry in a safe. Both statements reference ongoing investigations, which Gómez and Zapatero have denied any wrongdoing.
By Friday, the video had garnered nearly 2 million views. Óscar López, Spain’s digital transformation minister, criticized the video, stating,
“"It’s telling people a colossal lie, and for a party to do it on its official accounts seems intolerable to me."
Legal Challenges and Expert Opinions
The video included a disclaimer in small, nearly transparent font indicating it was AI-generated. López expressed concern about the potential for confusion among viewers unfamiliar with AI technology, remarking,
“"It’s very easy for anyone who isn’t used to AI to confuse that video with reality. And call me crazy, but that seems extremely serious to me."
