Spain Opposition Party Hired AI to Mock Prime Minister's Wife

The conservative People's Party released a new political advertisement this week that uses artificial intelligence to mimic the voices and faces of Socialist Party figures. The clip, which has accumulated nearly two million views on social media, features an AI-generated version of Begoña Gómez, the wife of Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez. In the video, she speaks about securing a university position due to her husband's political career. The PP posted the material on its official channels with a small, nearly transparent label indicating that the content was AI-generated.

The advertisement also includes a deepfake of former Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero. He is shown discussing the storage of jewelry in a safe. Both references allude to current investigations into the Socialists, though Gómez and Zapatero have denied any wrongdoing. Leire Díez, a former Socialist party member whose likeness also appears in the clip, filed a court complaint against the PP on Friday. She accused the party of defamation and digital identity theft, seeking immediate removal of the advert.

Digital transformation minister Óscar López reacted sharply to the release. Speaking to broadcaster TVE, he called the video a "colossal lie." López argued that it was intolerable for a party to use such tools on official accounts while hiding the AI label in tiny text. He warned that viewers unfamiliar with the technology could easily mistake the clip for reality.

Legal analysis suggests the PP is on solid ground. El País consulted nine legal experts, and most agreed the video is not illegal. They cited the satirical tone and the presence of the AI label as key factors. Íñigo Navarro, a former dean at Comillas Pontifical University in Madrid, noted that the context makes it clear the figures did not actually speak those words. Juan Antonio Lascuraín, a criminal law professor at the Autonomous University of Madrid, emphasized that legality is distinct from ethical appropriateness.

Critics from the academic world remain divided. José Javier Olivas, an associate professor at Spain's National University for Distance Education, called the move regrettable. He stated that using deepfakes to put words in rivals' mouths qualifies as disinformation, even if the video is technically legal. He described the action as crossing a "red line" for a party claiming to want to revitalise democracy.

The controversy mirrors trends in the United States. A report from the Wesleyan Media Project identified more than 200 AI-generated ads ahead of next month's midterm elections. Erika Franklin Fowler, co-director of the project, noted that spending on such ads in the 2024 cycle was under $50,000, with many lacking disclaimers.

The PP has dismissed the backlash. Borja Sémper, a party figure, stated that there is a problem only if there was malicious intent to make people believe the characters were real. He argued that the video highlights Socialist hypocrisy. Most polls indicate the PP will win the election scheduled for 29 November, though they will likely need support from the far-right Vox party to form a government.