GOP Lt. Gov. Candidate Uses AI to Debate Dem Opponent Who Rejects Debate Offers

Conservative businessman and broadcaster John Reid enlisted the help artificial intelligence To represent Democratic challenger Ghazla Hashmi in a mock debate for the 2025 lieutenant governor race.

Reid, a Republican candidate from Richmond, challenged State Senator Hashmi of Chesterfield. Regional debate Around Virginia. Reed noted that Hashmi is the only one of the six candidates running for statewide office to reject the controversy.

Reed’s representative ensured that the AI ​​used only Hashmi’s likeness and voice — and the moderator’s — and that responses by Hashmi’s representation were based on her prior quotes or publicized policy positions.

Hashmi’s campaign called the video a “deepfake” and told The Washington Post that it was “a desperate move straight out of Donald Trump’s playbook.”

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Virginia lieutenant governor candidates John Reed and Ghazla Hashmi (Image by Lyra Bordelon/USA Today Network; Bill O’Leary/Getty Images)

“We appreciate that ‘AI Ghazla’ shares her vision as she does Commitment to public education and reproductive rights, It’s very clear that Reid only cares about inferior gimmicks and not governing,” the campaign added.

The AI ​​debate differed from other recent artificially generated videos, where in some cases the words and representations of lawmakers were caricatured.

President Donald Trump a Viral AI video Earlier this month House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, DN.Y. He is played in the background wearing a sombrero as “La Cucaracha” and Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer, DN.Y. has referred to his party as “an awakened piece of s—“.

Schumer never said that in real life.

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For her opening statement at the debate, “AI Hashmi” said she is running because Virginians “need someone with the experience, knowledge and ability to fight for Virginians.”

“I have a track record Issues of concern to Virginians – Education, health care, housing and opportunity. I am willing to create a policy that will make Virginia an example to other states.

In response, Reid noted that — in real life — Hashmi would not appear in a real debate.

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“If she’s not willing to run her own campaign for lieutenant governor, I don’t know why anyone thinks she can run for anything,” he said.

Reed said Hashmi supported the retention Virginia schools close extra year In the wake of the coronavirus pandemic and the “push(ed)” for boys in girls’ sports is … higher taxes (and) early release of criminals.

“Ghazla Hashmi advanced everything that we want to identify as a problem in the state of Virginia,” he said.

In this regard, Reed said that his work in communications in Congress, the US Chamber of Commerce and Radio helps him understand what businesses need From the state government if they choose to work in Virginia.

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The lieutenant governorship is “not just giving in the Senate,” Reed said. “(It’s) working for the state of Virginia.”