People's Party Faces Backlash Over AI Video of Sánchez's Wife

Spain’s political landscape is shifting as the country prepares for general elections in late November. The People's Party (PP) released a video advertisement on its social media channels this week that has generated intense public reaction. The clip uses artificial intelligence to mimic the voices and faces of figures associated with the governing Socialist party.

The video features an AI-generated version of Begoña Gómez, the wife of Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez. In the clip, she appears to admit that she obtained a university position due to her husband’s political power. The advertisement also includes a deepfake of former Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero. He is shown discussing the hiding of jewelry in a safe. Both individuals have denied any wrongdoing, and the references align with ongoing legal investigations into their conduct.

By Friday, the video had accumulated nearly two million views. Digital Transformation Minister Óscar López criticized the PP’s use of the footage during an interview with TVE. He described the clip as a colossal lie delivered through official party channels. López pointed out that the label indicating the video was AI-generated was located at the bottom of the screen in tiny, nearly transparent text. He warned that viewers unfamiliar with the technology could easily mistake the footage for reality.

Leire Díez, a former Socialist party member whose likeness appeared in the video, filed a court complaint against the PP on Friday. She requested the immediate removal of the advertisement. Díez accused the party of defamation and digital identity theft. The video used her image to suggest she worked to undermine the judiciary and law enforcement to benefit the Socialists.

Legal experts are divided on the implications of the advertisement. A survey of nine legal professionals by El País found that most agreed the video was not illegal. The primary reason was that the clip was labeled as AI-generated and possessed a satirical tone. Íñigo Navarro, a former dean at Madrid's Comillas Pontifical University, stated that the context makes it clear the people did not actually say those things. Juan Antonio Lascuraín, a criminal law professor at the Autonomous University of Madrid, noted that legality is distinct from ethical or political appropriateness.

José Javier Olivas, an associate professor at Spain's National University for Distance Education, argued that the video crossed a red line. He observed that mainstream parties are increasingly attacking each other's morality. Olivas classified the act of putting words in other people's mouths as a form of disinformation. The PP has dismissed the criticism, with party figure Borja Sémper stating there is only a problem if there was malicious intent to deceive. Most polls indicate the PP will win the November 29 election, though they will likely need support from the far-right Vox party to form a government.