Here’s the latest I can confirm based on recent coverage:
- A viral AI-generated campaign ad for Spencer Pratt, an independent candidate in the Los Angeles mayoral race, drew significant attention in early May 2026. The ad portrayed a dystopian LA under current leadership and presented Pratt as a savior, generating millions of views and sparking debate about AI in political advertising. This is reported in outlets noting the timing around Pratt’s debate with Karen Bass and Nithya Raman.[1][3][4]
- Coverage highlighted that Pratt’s AI ads were created by a filmmaker and amplified by supporters on social media, with experts noting the ads are cheap and fast to produce and can influence public discourse, though their impact on actual voting remains uncertain.[3][1]
- In associated media notes, podcast summaries and talk-show discussions described the AI spots as highly attention-grabbing and seen as a novel form of political messaging, while commentators pointed out potential misperceptions and the broader questions of AI content in elections.[2][3]
If you’d like, I can pull in more details from these sources or search for more recent developments (e.g., outcomes of upcoming debates, polling, or responses from Bass/Raman campaign teams). Would you like me to do that?
Citations:
- LA mayoral candidate Spencer Pratt reposts scathing AI-generated ad[1]
- Spencer Pratt's AI Ad Slams LA, Goes Viral - Apple Podcasts[2]
- ‘Good way to do it’: Spencer Pratt AI ad draws attention to LA’s problems[3]
- Spenser Pratt Turns ‘Mad Max’ Los Angeles Into Paradise Overnight In First Post-Debate Ad[4]