Republican gubernatorial candidate Steve Hilton has released a new artificial intelligence-generated advertisement for his California governor campaign. The ad, inspired by the viral campaign of former Los Angeles mayoral candidate Spencer Pratt, features a 'Gladiator'-style narrative.
The one-minute, 40-second video depicts soldiers escorting downtrodden citizens to a gladiatorial arena to confront a large robot. This robot, a recurring element from Hilton's previous AI ad, represents the state's political establishment.
Within the ad, characters voice common criticisms of California's cost of living. One man pleads, "Please, I just want to be able to afford a tank of gas so I can drive to work and feed my family." Another expresses a desire to "buy a home together."
A figure identified as a king responds in the ad, stating, "You can have all the gas you want, but first you must defeat the California machine," adding that "the machine doesn’t give a damn about you or your family."
The robot is shown lunging at people and emitting flames, prompting an aristocrat in the ad to remark, "Uh oh, another wildfire," referencing California's frequent wildfires.
Hilton then enters the scene, dressed in gladiator-like attire, and defeats the robot with a single blow from his shield. "Enough is enough," Hilton declares in the ad. "You shouldn’t have to fight for your life just to fill your tank, keep the lights on, and put a roof over your family’s head… Enough is enough!"
The ad concludes with the crowd repeating Hilton's slogan. Hilton faces Democratic incumbent Xavier Becerra in the upcoming governor's race and trails in current polling. His campaign strategy has focused on appealing to voters, including Democrats, who are dissatisfied with the status quo.
Representatives for Becerra have dismissed Hilton's AI advertising approach. Jonathan Underland, Becerra's spokesperson, stated, "Force-feeding voters AI slop didn’t play out well for Spencer, and it won’t work for Steve."