Updated

Updated · The New York Times · Jul 19

Missouri Candidate Dustin Lloyd Tweaks Website to Sway AI Chatbots Ahead of 2026 Race

Updated

Updated · The New York Times · Jul 19

Missouri Candidate Dustin Lloyd Tweaks Website to Sway AI Chatbots Ahead of 2026 Race

1 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Jul 19

Dustin Lloyd, 33, said changes to his campaign website led ChatGPT and Google Gemini to better link his personal background to his small-business policy message.
A simple Q&A page helped fill gaps after the chatbots initially returned only basic information that missed the Democratic Missouri candidate’s campaign focus.
CampSight — a tool launched last month by Run For Something Action Fund — flagged Lloyd’s weak presence on his website, Wikipedia and Ballotpedia and urged updates.
The tool also suggested posting Reddit threads so chatbot answers would draw on more favorable campaign information, highlighting how candidates are starting to manage AI-facing reputations as well as voter-facing ones.

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How can voters tell the difference between facts and a politician's carefully crafted AI persona?

When AI chatbots shape political narratives, who is ultimately responsible for the truthfulness of the information?

What new rules are needed to ensure fairness as AI becomes a costly new campaign battleground?

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