How US political candidates are tailoring messages to reach voters through AI models used for answers
Campaigns target chatbot answers
Campaigns are adapting their communications as voters turn to AI assistants for political information. The goal is not only to persuade voters directly, but also to influence what chatbots say when asked to compare candidates on issues such as taxes, housing and public safety.
A presentation prepared for Mike Minogue’s campaign described this approach as generative engine optimization, or GEO. Minogue is the Republican challenging Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey. The plan aimed to position him as the preferred choice in answers from ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini and other systems.
The proposal included creating policy pages, placing material on websites cited by chatbots, and publishing content on YouTube and Reddit. It also suggested tracking chatbot responses and revising online content to better reflect the candidate’s platform.
Strategies and costs vary
Thomas Howell, chief executive of Visigent, said his firm wrote the strategy document for Minogue. He said the campaign did not respond to requests for comment, and declined to identify the six political campaigns among Visigent’s clients.
Howell said political fees begin at $5,000 a month and can reach $50,000 when paid placements, media or influencer outreach are included. The presentation also listed a top success fee of $200,000 for a “category win,” according to the document.
CampSight, run by Run for Something Action Fund, offers services to progressive candidates. Its listed monthly prices range from $9 to $250 for information and guidance, while statewide and federal campaign rates are custom and include a dedicated strategist.
Questions about trust and accuracy
Cameron Hickey, chief executive of the National Conference on Citizenship, said about one-quarter of eligible voters had asked a chatbot about a candidate when deciding how to vote. Meg Schwenzfeier of Caucus AI said campaigns this year had focused on making their own websites appear in chatbot results.
Schwenzfeier cautioned that chatbots can sound authoritative while drawing on material that has not been vetted. Joe Bonilla of Relentless Awareness said AI influence efforts would become widespread by the 2028 presidential election cycle.
Jordan Haines, chief technology officer at Run for Something, recalled seeing Reddit posts appear in AI responses the day after they were posted. He said that, so far this year, he had not seen the feared outcome materialize and thought large language models had been able to distinguish reliable sources from less reliable ones. Run for Something president Amanda Litman said on X that dozens of campaigns use CampSight, and that more than 300 candidates and organizations were on its waiting list.
Key points
- A presentation for Mike Minogue’s campaign proposed content designed to shape chatbot recommendations.
- The plan included policy pages, paid website placements, YouTube and Reddit material, and response monitoring.
- Political AI consulting can cost up to $50,000 per month, with a proposed success fee reaching $200,000.
- Experts differ on how well chatbots screen unverified information and warn that misinformation remains a concern.