Dominican Republic Criticizes Spanish Opposition for AI-Generated Corruption Video
The Dominican Republic criticized Spain’s People’s Party for an AI-generated video suggesting corruption associated with the nation. The graphic, which featured Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, drew backlash, prompting Sanchez to apologize. The incident underscores the rising use of AI in political campaigns amid competition for the youth demographic in Spain.
The Dominican Republic has strongly criticized Spain’s opposition party, the People’s Party (PP), for an AI-generated video that insinuated corruption related to the Caribbean nation while disparaging the Spanish government. On Wednesday, the PP shared this controversial video on social media, showcasing a shirtless Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on a beach, captioned “The Island of Corruption.” The video parodied a popular reality show filmed in the Dominican Republic and prominently featured the country’s flag and location map.
In a statement released on Thursday, the Dominican Foreign Ministry denounced the video as a “vicious and incomprehensible attack,” asserting that it misused national symbols for Spanish political purposes. After the backlash, the PP removed the video, which had garnered over 400,000 views, insisting that it did not aim to tarnish the Dominican Republic’s reputation.
Following the incident, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez expressed regret, stating he had not viewed the video but felt “deeply ashamed” and formally apologized on behalf of Spain. This incident parallels a recent controversy where U.S. President Donald Trump shared an AI-generated video depicting the Gaza Strip whimsically, provoking significant concern.
The growing utilization of AI in political campaigning is noted for its low cost, making it an appealing tool for creating content. In Spain, the PP now faces competition from the far-right party Vox in an effort to engage younger voters who predominantly utilize social media for news consumption.
The Dominican Republic’s condemnation of the People’s Party for utilizing AI-generated content that wrongly portrayed the nation highlights the potential implications of digital media in political discourse. Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez’s subsequent apology reflects the sensitivity and seriousness with which such issues are treated. As the landscape of political campaigning evolves with the incorporation of AI, measures should be considered to prevent similar lapses in judgment by political entities.
Original Source: www.usnews.com
