ATLANTA — With just over a week until Election Day, voters can expect an increase in negative political advertisements and targeted online messaging as candidates make their final push ahead of the midterm elections.
Dr. David Schweidel, a marketing professor at Emory University’s Goizueta Business School, says research shows negative campaign advertisements often resonate more with voters than other forms of political messaging.
“In races that are only going to be separated by a couple of points at most, sometimes less than a point; negative advertising can flip that race,” Schweidel said.
Schweidel says online political advertisements are also becoming increasingly personalized, with campaigns using information about voters to determine which messages they see.
“If I know you lean one way, I’m going to show you the ad that’s designed for you. If I know you’re leaning a different way let me show you an ad that’s intended for that particular audience,” Schweidel said.
Another concern is the growing use of artificial intelligence in political advertising, including AI-generated images and content that can be difficult to distinguish from authentic material.
“AI still leans a little bit more into that airbrush look just a little bit more polished than natural imagery, but it’s very easy to confuse the two,” Schweidel said.
Schweidel worries that false information generated by AI bots could influence the outcome of closely contested elections.
He also points to what is known as a “filter bubble,” where online platforms deliver information based on users’ existing interests and viewpoints.
According to Schweidel, this type of personalized content can contribute to political polarization by limiting exposure to information that challenges a person’s existing beliefs.
“None of us are giving shared information anymore, and so what is that going to do to the way that we make choices,” Schweidel said.
As campaigns enter their final week, negative advertising, AI-generated content and highly targeted online messaging remain concerns heading into Election Day.
WSB Radio’s Chris Chandler spoke with Schweidel about the impact of political advertising and artificial intelligence on voters. The full conversation is available on the on-demand page of this website.
WSB Radio’s Ashley Simmons & Graham Carroll contributed to this story.
