Will a political candidate in a G7 national election explicitly use a Generative AI deepfake of a political opponent as part of a public campaign advertisement before 2027?

AI Deepfake Ad: Use in G7 National Election by 2027

The technology for creating highly convincing audio and video deepfakes is now cheap and widely accessible, posing a major threat to democratic integrity. This prediction states that a political candidate in a G7 national election (general or presidential) will explicitly use a Generative AI deepfake of a political opponent as part of a public, distributed campaign advertisement before the end of 2027.

Low Cost, High Impact, Low Accountability

The strong 'Yes' vote reflects the unfortunate reality:

• **Incentive:** The short-term political incentive to mislead voters is high.
• **Feasibility:** The cost and technical skill required are now minimal.
• **Regulation Lag:** Regulatory frameworks to effectively ban or enforce disclosure are slow to catch up to the speed of dissemination.

The ad would likely be released close to the election via online platforms, making attribution and removal difficult before the damage is done. This prediction hinges on the willingness of a campaign to cross a significant ethical and regulatory line.