Is the Politics Business Ready for the Age of AI?

A number of political firms are ramping up investments in artificial intelligence in a bid to get ahead of what many see as an existential threat to the long-term survival of their business.

As platforms like Meta race to roll out new AI-powered features, political practitioners say they’re bracing for big changes to their business models. Budgets are likely to shrink, they say, and deadlines are almost certainly going to become tighter and more demanding because of the technology. Firms that are staffed with dozens or even hundreds of professionals are going to have to downsize as AI automates more and more tasks.

The question on many political consultants’ minds: Can the industry survive this new era of AI in its current form?

During a panel discussion earlier this month at C&E’s Digital Campaign Summit in Washington, D.C., Push Digital Group Managing Partner Phil Vangelakos sounded the alarm over AI adoption in the politics industry. AI is going to change virtually every aspect of how firms operate, he said, and it’s up to practitioners to adapt.

“Everybody in this room right now needs to wake up,” Vangelakos said. “An asteroid is coming and a lot of us in this room are going to die. We’re not going to exist in this industry anymore. And I’m not kidding. It is going to shrink budgets. It is going to speed up timelines. If you are not creative, if you don’t have political acumen, if you’re not keeping up with this technology, you better hope for universal basic income, because it is going to eat your lunch.”

AI Investments

Vangelakos’ firm rolled out a major initiative this month called Push AI with the goal of integrating AI technology into every aspect of its work. In an interview with C&E last week, he said that the AI push is about survival; the technology “is so powerful that it’s going to collapse entire firms in this industry.”

Other practitioners said that while AI technology is rapidly evolving, it’s still not able to replace the political acumen and talent of experienced operatives and professionals. 

Mike Hahn, the president of digital strategy and operations at Frontline Strategies, said that his firm is making a six-figure investment this year in getting staffers to adopt and use AI “to make their more-menial tasks easier for them,” so that they’re freed up for other tasks.

“If they can spend time copywriting less, reporting less, segmenting data less, that helps us, because then we can help them focus their attention on other services, where AI is probably a little bit behind the curve,” Hahn said at DCS.

A majority of consultants are already using AI in their work in some capacity, according to a survey released last month by the American Association of Political Consultants. Still, that survey found that many practitioners are wary of embracing AI too tightly – at least for now. 

‘It’s Going to Take Jobs’ 

Jonathan Barnes, the CEO of Democratic firm Authentic, said that part of the hesitation to fully embrace AI is “ignorance.” In short, he said, many political professionals simply don’t understand what AI tools can do or how to put them to effective use. The politics industry is notoriously stubborn to adopt new technologies. But ignoring or eschewing AI isn’t an option, Barnes said.

“This is a big scary thing that is coming along, and I think there is a denial piece to it about just how impactful this can be and will be longterm,” Barnes said during a panel discussion at DCS. “I think there is just a natural fear that it’s going to take jobs. And I’m very much of the opinion it will, and that’s going to suck. And we need to as leaders figure out how do we use the extra capacity that AI allows us and gives us in a way that is good to people.”

Adam Meldrum, the founder of the Republican firm AdVictory, said that, despite the proliferation of AI technology, there’s still going to be a need for real, human talent in politics. 

“Human capital and talent is just as important as ever, to some degree,” Meldrum said. Campaigns need constant feedback about what you’re doing; what’s working…I think that is tough to replace with AI in totality.” 

Hahn said that the biggest change for firms is going to be hiring talent that knows how to use AI effectively. The industry is inevitably going to experience growing pains, he said, but campaigns and causes are still going to have to rely on the skills and acumen of political professionals.

“You will need to hire people that can teach people to use AI and prompt it in the right way,” Hahn said. “Will it take less people to do that? Sure. But I think they will need our experience.”