AI Video of Spain's PM's Wife Sparks Legal and Political Row

Spain is preparing for general elections in November, and a new campaign video has intensified the debate over how artificial intelligence is being used in political advertising.

The conservative People's Party released the clip on its social media channels this week. The video uses AI to manipulate the likenesses of several individuals connected to Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s Socialist party. In the footage, these figures appear to confess to specific misconduct, including soliciting prostitutes and accepting kickbacks.

One segment features an AI-generated version of Begoña Gómez, Sánchez's wife, discussing a university position she holds. Another shows a deepfake of former prime minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero speaking about hiding jewelry in a safe. Both references point to ongoing investigations, though both individuals have denied wrongdoing.

By Friday, the video had received nearly 2 million views. Digital transformation minister Óscar López responded to the release on broadcaster TVE. He described the content as a colossal lie and called it intolerable that a party would publish it on its official accounts. López pointed out that the AI label appeared in tiny, nearly transparent text at the bottom of the clip, warning that viewers unfamiliar with the technology might mistake it for reality.

Legal action followed the public reaction. Leire Díez, a former Socialist party member whose likeness was used in the video, filed a court complaint against the People's Party on Friday. She requested the immediate removal of the advert. Díez accused the party of defamation and digital identity theft, noting that the video used her image to suggest she worked to undermine the judiciary and law enforcement to benefit her former party.

Legal experts generally side with the People's Party on the technical legality of the move. Nine legal experts consulted by El País agreed the video was likely not illegal because it was labelled as AI-generated and maintained a satirical tone. Íñigo Navarro, a former dean at Madrid's Comillas Pontifical University, stated that the context made it clear the characters did not actually say those things. Juan Antonio Lascuraín, a criminal law professor at the Autonomous University of Madrid, noted that legality is distinct from ethical or political appropriateness.

Academic observers have weighed in on the political implications. José Javier Olivas, an associate professor at Spain's National University for Distance Education, called the use of deepfakes by a party claiming to want to revitalise democracy regrettable. He argued that the video crossed a red line by putting words in other people's mouths, a practice he classified as disinformation. He observed that both mainstream parties have been attacking their rivals' morality, but this specific tactic escalated the tension.

The issue is not limited to Europe. In the United States, a report by a Wesleyan University research group identified more than 200 ads using AI ahead of next month's midterm elections. Erika Franklin Fowler, co-director of the Wesleyan Media Project, noted that spending on AI-generated ads in the 2024 cycle was under $50,000. She added that much of the current usage lacks disclaimers.

The People's Party has dismissed the criticism so far. Party figure Borja Sémper stated that a problem would only exist if the intent was maliciously to make people believe the characters were real. He argued that viewers can see the video uses digital tools to highlight Socialist hypocrisy. Most polls indicate the People's Party will win the November 29 election, but they will need support from the far-right Vox party to form a government.