Bloomberg

The September 20, 2026, Berlin city-state election has been compared to New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani's successful 2025 campaign, which focused on affordable housing.

“The election, which marks the first time the Left has won in Berlin since reunification, has been compared to the successful campaign of New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who made affordable housing a key platform in his 2025 campaign.”

Republican candidates Senator John Cornyn and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton exchanged satirical smears.

“while the Republican candidates, Senator John Cornyn and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, traded satirical smears.”

Thirty-one states in the US regulate political deepfakes.

“Thirty-one states regulate political deepfakes.”

A bipartisan group of senators has advanced the NO FAKES Act, which would establish new protections against AI-enabled replicas and deepfakes of a person's name, image, and likeness, and permit lawsuits for unauthorized use of "computer-generated recreations."

“A bipartisan group of senators has advanced the NO FAKES Act, which would create new protections against AI-enabled replicas and deepfakes of someone’s name, image and likeness and allow people to sue over the unauthorized use of “computer-generated recreations.””

Oren Etzioni, a computer scientist who has built AI systems since the late 1980s, founded TrueMedia.org to create deepfake detection tools for newsrooms and fact-checkers for the 2024 election.

“Oren Etzioni, a computer scientist who has been building AI systems since the late 1980s, founded TrueMedia.org to build tools for newsrooms and fact-checkers to detect deepfakes in the 2024 election.”

A consultant working for Democrat Dean Phillips' campaign created an audio deepfake of former President Joe Biden urging people not to vote in the 2024 New Hampshire primary.

“Consider the audio deepfake ▶ of former President Joe Biden urging people not to vote in the 2024 New Hampshire primary, created by a consultant working for Democrat Dean Phillips' campaign.”

When Bloomberg News analyzed the Joe Biden deepfake audio using a "speech classifier" tool from AI startup ElevenLabs, it was found to have only a 2% likelihood of being synthetic.

“When Bloomberg News ran it through a “speech classifier” tool developed by AI startup ElevenLabs, it was found to have only a 2% likelihood of being synthetic.”

ElevenLabs states that it has since added new safeguards to its technology.

“(ElevenLabs says they’ve since added new safeguards.)”

Democrat Jasmine Crockett was accused of using AI to enhance the crowd size in one of her political ads.

“Democrat Jasmine Crockett was accused of using AI to enhance the size of the crowd in one of her ads”

Democratic congressional candidate Blake Gendebien released a satirical attack ad against Republican incumbent Elise Stefanik.

“Democratic congressional candidate Blake Gendebien released a satirical attack ad against Republican incumbent Elise Stefanik.”

A satirical ad depicted James Talarico, a Texas Democratic candidate for Senate, singing a rewritten version of “My Favorite Things” with lyrics targeting progressive and transgender policies.

“There’s the satirical ad depicting James Talarico, the Texas Democratic candidate for Senate, singing a rewrite of “My Favorite Things,” with new lyrics targeting progressive and transgender policies.”

The satirical ads mentioned, though entirely fake, have collectively amassed over 5 million views.

“Each of these ads is entirely fake and was intended to be satirical, but together they have amassed more than 5 million views.”

There are three types of AI-generated political content: satirical content, obviously fake content reinforcing negative narratives, and deceptive content.

“There are three types of AI-generated political content: those that use satire to entertain or trigger you emotionally, those that are obviously fake but reinforce a negative narrative, and those that try to deceive.”

An ad featuring former reality-TV star Spencer Pratt generated millions of views during his unsuccessful campaign against incumbent Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass.

“Or the one with former reality-TV star Spencer Pratt, which generated millions of views during his losing campaign against incumbent Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass.”

An ad fabricated by New York's Republican candidate for governor, Bruce Blakeman, targeted incumbent Kathy Hochul.

“Or the one fabricated by New York’s Republican candidate for governor, Bruce Blakeman, to target incumbent Kathy Hochul.”

A video showing Republican Representative Thomas Massie dining with two Democratic colleagues was widely shared during Kentucky's GOP primary.

“This video of Republican Representative Thomas Massie having dinner with two Democratic colleagues was shared widely during Kentucky’s heated GOP primary.”

Thomas Massie's primary opponent created the ad using generative AI.

“Massie’s primary opponent created the ad using generative AI.”

Generative AI is currently being used in political campaigns across the United States.

“Generative AI is being used in political campaigns across the nation.”

Former Yugoslavia experienced a violent breakup in 1992.

“Visiting mixed villages in former Yugoslavia before it careened toward its violent breakup in 1992, I spoke to neighbors who dismissed the idea of a coming war as simply unimaginable.”

The Left Party, led by Elif Eralp, captured 25.3 percent of the vote in Berlin's state elections on Sunday, September 21, 2026, and is in talks to form a governing coalition with the Social Democrats and Greens.

“Elif Eralp, center, celebrates during the election night rally at the Left party headquarters in Berlin on Sept. 20.Photographer: Jens Schlueter/AFP/Getty ImagesGift this articleAdd us on GoogleContact us:Provide news feedback or report an errorConfidential tip?Send a tip to our reportersSite feedback:Take our SurveyBy Christoph Rauwald and Michael NienaberSeptember 20, 2026 at 10:05 AM PDTUpdated on September 20, 2026 at 10:52 PM PDTSaveTranslateTakeaways by Bloomberg AISubscribeGermany’s anti-capitalist Left party, which pledged to expropriate housing from private real estate companies, has won an election in the city-state of Berlin, beating both the ruling Conservatives of German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and the far-right Alternative for Germany.”