GOP Presidential Campaign Using AI Chatbot to Respond to Voters

President of the U.S. Conference of Mayors and Miami Mayor Francis Suarez speaks during an event of bipartisan mayors attending the Conference's Winter Meeting, in the East Room of the White House in Washington on Jan. 20, 2023. Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images

A super PAC supporting Miami Mayor Francis Suarez’s bid for the Republican presidential nomination has launched an artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot to answer queries about him, marking yet another instance of the use of generative AI in 2024 presidential campaigns.

The SOS America PAC bot unveiled on July 5 listens to a user’s queries and combines them with video responses created by an AI-powered avatar designed to appear and sound like Mr. Suarez.

“Hi, I’m AI Francis Suarez,” the bot says to introduce itself, its mouth moving in a way that attempts to imitate human speech.

“You’ve probably heard that my namesake, conservative Miami Mayor Francis Suarez, is running for president. I’m here to answer questions you may have about Mayor Suarez’s proven agenda for economic prosperity, cutting spending and supporting our police. So, how can I help?”

When asked whether the PAC or campaign is concerned about the potential corruptibility of AI or of alienating those more traditional GOP voters with the use of the technology, the PAC responded, saying the bot helps bring the mayor’s message to more people.

“We created AI Francis Suarez to help communicate the Mayor’s message of bringing the Miami Model to the rest of the country,” SOS America PAC Spokesman Miami Chapin Fay told The Epoch Times. “AI Francis Suarez is just one tool we are deploying to communicate with Republican primary voters, along with plenty of other traditional and cutting-edge tactics.”

The spokesperson went on to say, “Mayor Francis Suarez was a leader in technology in government and ran what is now one of the safest, most economically prosperous big cities in America.”

How the Chat Bot Works

The application is enabled by VideoAsk, a software product developed by Typeform for use in sales and recruiting. According to the product’s website, clients can construct “video funnels” that direct visitors down various paths based on the questions they pose, allowing users to “choose their own adventure.”

The chatbot does not appear to directly address a user’s queries; rather, it directs them to a relevant video on Mr. Suarez’s platform.

When questioned about Mr. Suarez’s immigration plan, for instance, the AI begins to play a 55-second video titled “Mayor Suarez’s Miami Model” that discusses a variety of topics, such as “economic prosperity in Miami,” unemployment rates, job creation, homicide rates, and homelessness.

When asked whether Mr. Suarez would endorse Trump as the Republican nominee, the automaton displays a computer-generated caricature of “AI Ron DeSantis.” The bot asserts that Mr. Suarez is concerned with “saving America’s economy and supporting our police officers,” while DeSantis believes “the single greatest threat to American families today is Mickey Mouse - run for your lives!”

Some queries stymie the AI, resulting in a screen that reads, “Sorry, I did not understand...”

While artificial intelligence has been used in political campaigns in the past, AI tools have vastly improved over the past few years, making it quicker, cheaper, and simpler to generate images, videos, and text blocks from inception.

Several reports have indicated that both the Trump and DeSantis campaigns have used AI to show each other in a negative light, interacting with various figures that are unpopular with conservatives, including Dr. Anthony Fauci, Mr. George Soros, Adolf Hitler, and the Devil.

The Candidate’s Background

Mr. Suarez’s campaign for president was announced on June 14 in a press release by SOS America PAC.

“America needs conservative Mayor Francis Suarez for President,” said SOS America PAC spokesperson Chapin Fay. “As our nation faces anti-police and pro-crime Democrat leadership in cities across the nation like Baltimore, Portland and New York City, the achievements of first-generation American Mayor Suarez underscore the need for immediate nationwide adoption of his approach.

“Because of Mayor Suarez’s tough-on-crime and back-the-blue approach, Miami currently has its lowest homicide rate since the 1950’s and the lowest homelessness rate since 2013.”

“Under his leadership, the Miami economy is thriving. Miami boasts the nation’s lowest unemployment rate at 1.4%, and Mayor Suarez' fiscal policies have achieved the city’s lowest tax rate since the 1960’s, the creation of 8,000 new jobs and an additional $1 billion in wages to Miami’s economy,” Fey went on.

“Mayor Francis Suarez’s Miami Model is working, plain and simple. Now is the time for the rest of the country to adopt his successful approach. America needs conservative Mayor Francis Suarez for President.”

Mr. Suarez reports being shaped by his parents’ journey as Cuban immigrants seeking better opportunities in America. Inspired by their story, the candidate has worked to promote conservative principles and advocating for, among other things, fiscal responsibility.

Since assuming office as Miami’s Mayor in 2017, he has spearheaded initiatives that attracted businesses and fostered job creation, along with lowering crime to its lowest rate in decades.

Before becoming mayor, Mr. Suarez was the Miami City Commissioner. The presidential candidate also holds a law degree from the University of Florida Levin College of Law.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.