California state Sen. Scott Wiener has halted a controversial AI chatbot and related advertising campaign that targeted his congressional rival, Connie Chan, following a swift and intense backlash from Democratic leaders. The chatbot, ConnieChan.ai, was designed to highlight perceived shortcomings in Chan's record on housing and public transit.
Wiener, who is seeking to represent San Francisco's 11th Congressional District, announced Friday that his campaign would take down the AI chatbot and soon remove billboards directing voters to it. He stated that the chatbot was intended as a parody to draw attention to what he characterized as Chan's "record of delay and obstruction."
However, the campaign tactic quickly became a political liability. U.S. Rep. Nancy Pelosi, along with a coalition of Democratic politicians and organizations, condemned the use of artificial intelligence to imitate Chan, a San Francisco supervisor. In a joint statement attributed to Pelosi, the group expressed opposition to AI being used to put words into a female candidate's mouth, labeling it a "gross misuse of technology."
Pelosi and the coalition warned that such AI-generated impersonations could reinforce sexist stereotypes, undermine women in public life, and damage public trust. They urged political candidates to refrain from using the technology to strip women of their identity or agency for electoral gain.
Wiener acknowledged that the tactic had backfired, stating that the controversy had overshadowed the issues he aimed to emphasize. "Our use of an AI chatbot clearly missed the mark," Wiener said in a statement. "The conversation became about the tactic instead of the issues that actually matter to San Franciscans."
Chan's campaign criticized Wiener's actions, with spokesperson Ian Krager stating, "Scott Wiener can rightly take down his bigotry bot, but he can’t erase the concerns it raised among San Franciscans about his character and judgment." The campaign further asserted that "San Franciscans deserve better than a campaign funded by Big AI weaponizing the technology to mock an immigrant woman of color."
Wiener later issued an apology for causing offense, while also noting that some supporters had responded positively to the concept. "I heard from many people who loved the idea, and I appreciate their support," he said. "But many others were offended, and I apologize for causing that offense."
Wiener and Chan are set to face each other in the general election on November 3 for the congressional seat Pelosi has held since 1987. Wiener secured the first position in the June 2 primary with approximately 41% of the vote, while Chan came in second with about 30%.