“Adapt to AI or lose”: GOP uses deepfake video of Chuck Schumer in new attack ad

The National Republican Senatorial Committee has released an attack ad featuring a deepfake video of Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, marking a new escalation in the use of AI-generated content for political campaigns. The synthetic video shows an artificial version of Schumer robotically repeating “every day gets better for us” in reference to the ongoing government shutdown, despite the quote being from a real interview where Schumer was discussing Democratic strategy.

What you should know: The deepfake represents the GOP’s latest venture into AI-generated political content, following similar moves by Donald Trump.

• The video was posted to the Senate Republicans’ social media account on Friday with only a small disclaimer acknowledging its artificial origins.
• The quote itself is authentic and comes from a Punchbowl News interview where Schumer explained Democrats’ healthcare-focused shutdown strategy.
• Rather than simply using the real quote, the NRSC chose to create synthetic video of Schumer speaking the words.

The context behind the quote: In the original interview, Schumer was explaining how Democrats had prepared their shutdown strategy well in advance.

• “Their whole theory was – threaten us, bamboozle us and we would submit in a day or two,” Schumer said in the actual interview.
• The Democrats were referring to their position strengthening over time during the political standoff.

How the ad works: The deepfake video loops continuously while a narrator provides commentary over the synthetic imagery.

• “Schumer thinks playing with Americans’ livelihoods is just a game,” the narrator says over the artificial video.
• The advertisement goes on to accuse Democrats of “loving” the political standoff during the government shutdown.

What they’re saying: NRSC Communications Director Joanna Rodriguez defended the use of AI-generated content in political messaging.

• “AI is here and not going anywhere. Adapt & win or pearl clutch & lose,” Rodriguez said in a response on X.

The bigger picture: This isn’t the Republican Party’s first use of deepfake technology in political attacks.

• Trump recently posted his own AI-generated deepfake to Truth Social depicting Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries making fabricated statements about immigration and voter fraud.
• The trend suggests deepfake technology is becoming normalized in political campaigning despite ethical concerns about synthetic media.