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Getting campaign text messages ahead of midterms? There could be an AI bot behind it

NPR — Tech · · International · AI Governance

Political campaigns are deploying AI bots trained to mimic candidates and engage voters through personalized text message conversations. The practice is becoming a common outreach tool heading into the midterm election cycle.

Why this matters: When you get a text from a candidate, you probably assume a person sent it. You might even reply. That reply goes to a bot. The bot is designed to sound human, keep you engaged, and steer the conversation. That is not just a novelty. It is a campaign collecting your responses, your concerns, and your words without telling you who, or what, is actually on the other end. Voters deserve to know when they are talking to a machine.

Who should care: General readers · AI governance · Policy

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