Full Breakdown
AI Bots Reshape Political Text Messaging Ahead of Midterms
7/13/2026, 2:17:38 AM
Core Development: AI-Powered Campaign Texts
Political campaigns across the United States are deploying large-language-model bots to conduct personalized text-message conversations with voters. Companies such as Akillion, Convos and Vector Political provide platforms that let agencies train bots to answer questions on issues ranging from police reform to tax policy. The first outreach text is typically human-written; the AI intervenes once a recipient replies, enabling simultaneous, rapid exchanges with thousands of constituents.
Background & Context
The political-texting market surged after the 2020 election as landlines faded, door-to-door canvassing declined, and social-media algorithms limited direct candidate-voter interaction. Peer-to-peer platform Peerly’s CEO Josh Justice notes that texting “stays on voters' phones, and it doesn't have to compete with the algorithm for attention.” The emergence of generative AI now adds a layer of automation and data collection that campaigns had not previously possessed.
Key Figures & Groups
- Aaron Sheeks, CEO of Akillion – promotes AI “employees” for campaign Q&A.
- Eric Wilson, Republican strategist and director of the Center for Campaign Innovation – advocates AI as a tool for “more interactive, more responsive and more personalized” campaigning.
- Tom Carroll, CEO of Convos – markets his platform as “the greatest volunteer you’ve ever had.”
- Marty Santalucia, partner at Vector Political – reports two-and-a-half million texts sent and 20,000-30,000 conversations this cycle.
- Josh Justice, CEO of Peerly – raises ethical concerns about undisclosed AI use.
- Nathan Rifkin, co-CEO of Scale to Win – warns of “horrific” misinformation risks.
- Jessica Alter, co-founder and chair of Tech for Campaigns – advises using AI to create new outreach channels rather than reviving disliked ones.
Data & Statistics
- Approximately 5-10% of recipients respond to campaign texts; of those, 10-20% engage in ten or more exchanges.
- Vector Political’s platform has dispatched 2.5 million messages, generating 20,000-30,000 distinct conversations.
- Convos aims to support over 100 campaigns this cycle and has reached roughly half that target.
- A Pew Research Center survey finds Democrats less confident than Republicans in the government’s ability to regulate AI effectively.
Why It Matters
Bots enable campaigns to collect real-time voter concerns, shaping subsequent messaging and potentially influencing turnout. The technology also raises privacy questions, as AI “listens at a scale that campaigns have never listened at before.” Rapid adoption—particularly among Republican operatives—could create asymmetries in outreach capacity if regulatory frameworks lag.
Official Statements & Responses
Republican strategists argue AI enhances efficiency, allowing campaigns to “do more with less.” Democratic-leaning groups such as Tech for Campaigns acknowledge AI’s utility but stress it should complement, not replace, trusted communication channels. Several states have begun regulation: North Dakota and California require disclosure that a message originates from a virtual assistant; New Jersey is considering similar mandates for generative-AI election information.
Criticism & Opposition
Ethical objections focus on transparency and misinformation. Justice contends that using AI without a disclaimer “defeats the purpose of what everybody started out doing.” Rifkin warns that bots could convey “pretty horrific things” in a candidate’s voice, while Alter cautions against “rescuing channels that people already hate.” Critics also point to the unsettled public perception described as “very muddy.”
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Sources differ on the extent of Republican versus Democratic adoption; while multiple executives claim Republicans are “adapting faster,” no quantitative comparison is provided. The exact number of campaigns currently employing AI bots remains unclear, with estimates ranging from a handful to “over 100” pending verification.
Verbatim Quotes
- “We're giving agencies and political campaigns the ability to have a trained AI employee that can go back and forth and answer questions on police reform or education or tax changes.” — Aaron Sheeks, CEO, Akillion
- “My belief is that this is going to make campaigns more interactive, more responsive and more personalized,” — Eric Wilson, Republican strategist, Center for Campaign Innovation
- “What we're offering is the greatest volunteer you've ever had,” — Tom Carroll, CEO, Convos
- “I don’t think it’s ethical to use generative A.I. to communicate with voters,” — Josh Justice, CEO, Peerly
- “Or you can lead AI chat bots to say some pretty horrific things,” — Nathan Rifkin, co-CEO, Scale to Win
- “I think AI is not best used to, like, rescue channels that people already hate,” — Jessica Alter, co-founder, Tech for Campaigns
What’s Next
Legislators in North Dakota, California and New Jersey are drafting or enforcing disclosure requirements for AI-generated political texts. Campaigns are expected to adjust messaging practices as these rules take effect later in the election cycle.
