Spencer Pratt's AI Fan Videos Jolt L.A. Mayor Race as 29 States Restrict Political Deepfakes
Updated
Updated · Los Angeles Times · May 18
Spencer Pratt's AI Fan Videos Jolt L.A. Mayor Race as 29 States Restrict Political Deepfakes
5 articles · Updated · Los Angeles Times · May 18
Millions of views for fan-made AI videos casting Spencer Pratt as Batman and Luke Skywalker have injected meme-driven spectacle into Los Angeles' mayoral race, even though the campaign did not produce them.
Experts say the hyper-cinematic clips blur parody and deception as platforms offer weak guardrails, federal rules remain absent, and courts are still weighing how far states can regulate synthetic political media.
Karen Bass called the videos "very scary" and "150% fiction," while some consultants argued the obviously fantastical ads are more satire than voter fraud and mainly energize existing supporters.
Evidence so far suggests AI political content is better at mobilizing a base than persuading undecided voters; Pratt's own non-AI ad about losing his home in the 2025 fires drew more than 14 million views.
The fight in Los Angeles reflects a broader 2026 campaign trend: 29 states now restrict political deepfakes, but a patchwork of laws and 1st Amendment challenges leaves enforcement uneven.
As AI makes political deepfakes hyper-realistic, how can voters confidently separate fact from fiction during elections?
Will new federal laws manage to ban deceptive political AI while still protecting creative freedoms like parody and satire?
With Hollywood facing an AI revolution, will this technology ultimately create more jobs than it eliminates for the city's artists?
AI Deepfakes and the 2026 Los Angeles Mayoral Race: How Synthetic Media Is Reshaping U.S. Elections and the Legal Battle to Regulate It
Overview
Spencer Pratt shook up the 2026 Los Angeles mayoral race by using generative AI to create highly stylized, attention-grabbing videos that quickly went viral online. These AI-generated videos, which feature Pratt in heroic roles like Batman and Luke Skywalker satirizing political rivals, became a central and controversial part of his campaign. The viral content boosted Pratt’s online popularity and raised his national profile, making his unconventional strategy a major talking point in the election. This approach highlights how AI is reshaping political messaging and influencing public perception in modern campaigns.