Los Angeles mayoral candidate Spencer Pratt reposted a scathing AI-generated advertisement on X on Tuesday, just one day before he was scheduled to debate his opponents, incumbent Mayor Karen Bass and city council member Nithya Raman. The video, created by filmmaker Charlie Curran, quickly went viral, amassing 3.6 million views as of Wednesday.
Video Depicts Bleak Vision of Los Angeles
In the dramatic clip, flames engulf the Hollywood sign, a socialist militia patrols the streets, and prominent California Democrats—including Governor Gavin Newsom, Mayor Karen Bass, and former Vice President Kamala Harris—are portrayed as out-of-touch elites. The ad then introduces a vigilante, Batman-like version of Pratt as the hero who saves the city.
Pratt's Criticism of Current Leadership
Pratt, a former reality TV star, has been vocal in his criticism of Bass and Raman on key issues such as wildfire response, homelessness, and public safety. In a post on April 19, he wrote, "It's easy for Karen Basura and Nithya Raman to claim 'crime is down' when they simply stop enforcing it. 60K open air drug zombies commit multiple felonies every single day." Neither Bass nor Raman immediately responded to requests for comment about the AI-generated video.
Reactions and Expert Analysis
Former Florida Governor and 2016 presidential candidate Jeb Bush praised the ad, calling it "maybe the best political ad of the year." It remains unclear whether Curran is connected to Pratt's campaign; Curran did not respond to requests for comment.
Steve Caplan, a political advertising expert at the University of Southern California, noted that AI-generated campaign ads could become more common. "They're cheap, fast, and consultants hate spending money on production. You can crank out rapid response in hours," he said. However, Caplan expressed skepticism about the ad's effectiveness in boosting voter turnout. He pointed out that Hollywood workers, who have faced production exodus, may resent the promotion of AI. Additionally, Los Angeles is a Democratic-majority city. "In an election where Democrats will turn out, it's a pretty narrow base to work from," Caplan said. "The notion that there are enough voters who would align with this message to win in an election like LA—I'm highly skeptical of that."
