Steve Hilton's AI Ad Proposes Turning California Bullet Train Into 'Monument to Government Failure'
The Republican gubernatorial candidate's campaign ad contrasts a prosperous vision of California under his leadership with a dystopian future under his Democratic opponent.
Republican gubernatorial candidate Steve Hilton has unveiled an AI-generated campaign advertisement that proposes transforming California's troubled high-speed rail project into a "Government Failures National Monument." The ad, titled around this concept, offers a stark contrast between a prosperous vision of California under Hilton and a bleak, dystopian future under Democratic opponent Xavier Becerra.
The advertisement opens with an AI-generated depiction of California two years into a hypothetical Hilton administration. In this scenario, the high-speed rail project is portrayed as a "failed promise." The visuals show Skid Row transformed into a luxurious area resembling Rodeo Drive, with cherry blossoms and fine dining. The Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica is depicted as bustling with shoppers, gas prices have fallen to $3 a gallon, and families are shown enjoying road trips.
The narrator in the ad describes the cancellation of the rail project and its conversion into a national monument, stating, "Visitors come from around the world to see the most expensive piece of concrete in human history." This idyllic imagery then shifts to Hilton's portrayal of California under Becerra.
The ad claims that under Becerra, gas prices would surge to $8 a gallon, and families would face financial difficulties affording travel. The campaign's sunny visuals abruptly turn dark and wintry, depicting a seemingly deserted Third Street Promenade and a worsening public health crisis on Skid Row, with the narrator alleging that typhoid and rat infestations have overwhelmed emergency services.
The advertisement further accuses Becerra of intending to raise taxes to fund the rail project with an additional $200 billion, labeling it a "railroad to nowhere." The spot concludes with a final transformation: sunlight returns to the bleak landscape as the narrator encourages Californians to support Hilton, urging, "California’s future is still being written. Vote for Steve Hilton. Just try it."
The campaign targets one of California's most expensive and politically divisive infrastructure projects. According to the California High-Speed Rail Authority's draft 2026 business plan, completing the initial phase of the 494-mile line between San Francisco and Los Angeles and Anaheim could cost approximately $231.3 billion in a full-buildout scenario, with a revised approach estimating the cost at around $126.2 billion.
The project was initially approved by voters in 2008 with an estimated cost of $33 billion and a target completion date of 2020. Construction and funding challenges have led to repeated revisions of its projected cost and timeline.
Hilton has stated his intention to cancel the project entirely. Becerra, on the other hand, has indicated a desire to alter its current configuration, though specific plans for the rail system remain less detailed, according to KPBS.
The candidates are vying to succeed Governor Gavin Newsom in the upcoming election on November 3rd. The race has placed affordability, homelessness, and the future of California's government spending at the forefront of the campaign.