Spain's ruling party sues over AI ad featuring prime minister's wife

Spain's general election on November 29 is being overshadowed by a legal dispute over a political advertisement created with artificial intelligence. The video, released by the conservative People's Party, uses deepfake technology to simulate the voices and images of figures associated with the governing Socialist Party. The central point of contention is the inclusion of Begoña Gómez, the wife of Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez.

The People's Party posted the clip on its social media channels this week. The video features AI-generated versions of Sánchez's wife and former Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero. In the footage, Gómez appears to discuss obtaining a university position due to her husband's status. Zapatero appears to speak about hiding jewelry in a safe. Both individuals have denied the specific allegations implied in the video, which reference ongoing legal investigations.

The clip gained rapid traction online. By Friday, the video had accumulated nearly 2 million views. Óscar López, the minister for digital transformation, criticized the move in an interview with broadcaster TVE. He described the ad as a colossal lie and expressed that it seemed intolerable for a party to publish it on official accounts. López pointed out that the AI label appeared in tiny, nearly transparent text at the bottom of the screen.

On Friday, Leire Díez, a former member of the Socialist Party whose likeness was used in the video, filed a court complaint against the People's Party. She requested the immediate removal of the advertisement. The complaint accused the party of defamation and digital identity theft. Díez argued that her image was used to suggest she worked to undermine the judiciary and law enforcement to benefit the Socialists.

Legal experts have offered mixed views on the situation. El País consulted nine legal specialists, most of whom concluded the video was not illegal because it was labeled as AI-generated and carried a satirical tone. Íñigo Navarro, a former dean at Madrid's Comillas Pontifical University, stated that the context made it clear the figures did not actually say those things. Juan Antonio Lascuraín, a criminal law professor, noted that legality is distinct from ethical or political correctness.

José Javier Olivas, an associate professor at Spain's National University for Distance Education, called the use of deepfakes regrettable. He said the official account of a party claiming to revitalise democracy crossed a red line by putting words in others' mouths. Olivas categorized this specific type of content as disinformation, noting that both mainstream parties have been attacking each other's morality recently.

The issue is gaining attention in the United States ahead of its midterm elections. A report from Wesleyan University identified more than 200 ads using AI, most tied to Republicans. Erika Franklin Fowler, co-director of the Wesleyan Media Project, said spending on AI-generated ads was under $50,000 in the 2024 cycle. She added that much of the current usage carries no disclaimer.

The People's Party has dismissed the criticism. Party figure Borja Sémper said a problem exists only if there was malicious intent to make viewers believe the characters were real. He argued that viewers can see the video uses digital tools to highlight Socialist hypocrisy. Most polls suggest the PP will win the November 29 election but will need support from the far-right Vox party to form a government.