The AI revolution in Political Tech
The Partisan webinar “The AI Revolution in Political Tech: Political Tech Review” explored the growing role of artificial intelligence in shaping the future of political campaigning and democratic discourse. The discussion featured three leading practitioners—Maya Hutchinson, CEO of BattlegroundAI; Mathias Lipp, founder of AI Empowered Politics; and Tomáš Halász, CEO of Trollwall AI—and was moderated by Josef Lentsch (Partisan). Together, they examined how AI is transforming campaign strategies, redefining online engagement, and raising urgent ethical questions about transparency, safety, and trust.
AI in Campaign Strategy: Speed and Scale
Maya Hutchinson highlighted how AI is already being integrated into campaign operations at scale. At BattlegroundAI, tools now allow teams to combine data, messaging, ad creation, and reporting in one place. This enables campaigns to move faster and adapt more precisely to shifting voter sentiments.
“AI doesn’t just optimise campaigns—it accelerates them. That speed changes how professionals think about testing, targeting, and scaling messages.”
The rise of automated creative production means campaigns can deploy dozens of tailored ad variants in real time, significantly increasing both reach and efficiency.
From content to ethics: the double-edged sword
Mathias Lipp emphasised that while AI enhances strategic capabilities, it also introduces new ethical risks. Generative AI can create persuasive content at low cost, but without safeguards, it risks fuelling disinformation and eroding trust in political communication.
“The question isn’t whether AI will be used in politics—it already is. The challenge is how to ensure it’s deployed responsibly, with transparency and accountability.”
Mathias argued for the development of industry standards, pointing to the need for watermarking, disclosure requirements, and campaign-level codes of conduct to preserve electoral integrity.
Defending the digital sphere: trolls, bots, and AI countermeasures
Tomáš Halász drew attention to the darker side of AI in politics: the use of automated bots and coordinated networks to distort discourse and harass opponents. Through Trollwall AI, his team tracks and mitigates these threats by identifying inauthentic behaviour at scale.
“AI is not just a tool for campaigns—it’s also a weapon for those seeking to undermine democracy. That makes defensive technologies just as important as offensive ones.”
By applying AI-driven detection models, Trollwall helps campaigns and civil society actors defend themselves from manipulation and harassment, ensuring that political debate remains authentic and accessible.
Lessons for political professionals
AI accelerates campaigns – From data to creative, speed and scale are transforming campaign operations.
Ethics matter – Generative tools must be balanced with safeguards like transparency, disclosure, and accountability.
Defensive AI is essential – Protecting campaigns and candidates from manipulation requires proactive investment.
Standards will shape practice – Industry norms and regulation are urgently needed to maintain electoral integrity.
Human oversight remains critical – AI can assist, but cannot replace human judgment in political strategy.
👉 The AI revolution in political tech is not a distant prospect—it is already reshaping how campaigns operate and how democracies function. From accelerated ad testing to the detection of disinformation, AI offers both powerful opportunities and serious risks. For political professionals, the future will demand integrating AI into campaigns—while ensuring that human oversight and democratic values remain at the centre of political technology.