If the political ads in your feed have started to feel a little uncanny this midterm season, there’s a reason. AI-generated campaign ads have increased sharply across social media and television, and the tools behind them are cheap and easy enough that anyone can produce one. SMU political advertising professor Rita Kirk says the technology is accessible to everybody, which is exactly what makes this election cycle different from the last one.

Texas has had a law on the books since 2019, when it became the first state to ban AI-generated campaign ads. The catch is in the details. The ban only applies within 30 days of an election, violations are misdemeanors punishable by up to a year in jail and a $4,000 fine, and no state or federal law requires an AI disclaimer on political ads. Kirk notes that many of these ads are run by third parties or outside PACs, leaving virtually no way to hold anyone accountable for what they produce.

For voters here in Waxahachie and across Ellis County, the practical takeaway is simple. Before you trust or share a political ad, check who paid for it and whether the claim holds up anywhere else. Midterms are serving as a testing ground for these ads before the next presidential race, and Kirk says this is the election that will reveal whether they have real impact. What’s the strangest or most suspicious political ad you’ve seen this season? Let us know.