Georgia politicos are getting high-tech as campaigners for the upcoming election are turning to artificial intelligence, but don't think this is the end of pavement pounding just yet. In an innovative move, Republican Glenn Cook has spiced up his bid for Georgia House District 180 with AI-generated blog posts and podcasts that analyze and discuss key voter issues, although they've come out a little on the impersonal side, with blog posts dripping in platitudes and podcasts missing the warm-up acts of typical political banter.

In what's being called an early adoption of AI in political campaigns, a recent blog post on Cook's site managed to dish out vague gems about community policing like, "Working hand in hand and nurturing good vibes among us is our secret to crafting spaces where safety shines for all," according to WABE. The blog even featured some bizarre additions, such as police badges in made-up languages, offering a glimpse into the strange world of AI-assisted content.

Robert Lee, an advisor to Cook's campaign and founder of Lesix Media, explained to WABE how AI-generated content can free up candidates to interact more with constituents. "We have an editorial and a content creation process, where we provide parameters to our AI platform, which is called Content at Scale," Lee stated. The politician still reviews the content to add his human touch, ensuring it reflects his views before sharing it with voters.

The use of AI isn't limited to Republicans, though. On the other side of the aisle, Democrats are hopeful that the new tech could level the playing field in elections. Betsy Hoover, founder of Higher Ground Labs, pointed out the dilemma for smaller campaigns that can't afford big staffs. "The option is not, like, staffer or AI, it’s like, AI or don’t have a digital plan," she told participants last week at a training summit held by Arena in Atlanta, suggesting that AI could bridge the digital gap for cash-strapped candidates.

Despite the potential, experts are cautious about letting AI loose without human oversight. AI "hallucinations," where the machine conjures misleading or false information, remain a concern. Ben Resnik of Zinc Labs stressed the need for human intervention while utilizing AI, "There needs to be a person editing, improving, quality checking every piece of content," he told WABE.

Concerns also hover over data privacy and regulatory lag in an arena where AI is evolving at breakneck speed. Arun Rai of Georgia State University warns about the potential for AI to use sensitive data inappropriately but remains hopeful about its capacity to unlock human potential. "It can become a real partner and push us to be the best versions of ourselves constantly," Rai remarked to WABE. Georgia legislators, meanwhile, fumbled a bill banning AI deepfakes to deceive voters, showing that the tech and legal dance is still very much a work in progress.