What’s real and what’s fake? How AI is impacting Brazil’s election race
Artificial intelligence has entered Brazil’s presidential election campaign two days before the first round, with examples including a deepfake avatar of former president Jair Bolsonaro supporting his son’s candidacy and an AI-generated working-class woman criticizing President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. Brazil’s intelligence agency has identified disinformation as a major election challenge.
Artificial intelligence is featuring prominently in Brazil’s presidential election campaign, with the first round due in two days, according to France 24. The report describes several AI-generated or manipulated political materials appearing during the race.
One example is a deepfake avatar of former president Jair Bolsonaro created to support his son’s candidacy. The supplied report does not identify the son or provide details about where or how the avatar was distributed.
Another example is an AI-generated working-class female voter criticizing President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. The report does not state who created the material, whether it was labeled as synthetic, or how widely it circulated.
Brazil’s intelligence agency said disinformation would be one of the main challenges of the election. The supplied information does not provide further details about the agency’s assessment, specific election rules, or confirmed measures to address the use of artificial intelligence.
THE QUESTIONS THIS EVENT LEAVES BEHIND
Who benefits when voters cannot reliably distinguish authentic campaign material from synthetic content?
What disclosure standards should apply to AI-generated political messages?
How might unequal access to detection tools affect different groups of voters?
What evidence would be needed to determine whether these materials changed voter behavior?
Who should be accountable when an AI-generated political message is used without clear attribution?
YOUR QUESTION
Does this story leave you with another question?
Send us the question the report did not answer. It may become the next question IAQ investigates.
GLOBAL CURIOSITY MAP · SEPTEMBER 2026