A Virginia lieutenant governor candidate's use of artificial intelligence to create a fake debate with his opponent sparked controversy.

Republican John Reid said his Democratic opponent, State Senator Ghazala Hashmi, wouldn't debate him, so he used her previous statements to create an AI-generated debate between the two candidates.

The video, which includes an AI moderator, was posted on YouTube and has gained national attention.

"First, it's not a debate. It's a performance, it's a commercial, it's a publicity stunt, but it's not a debate," said Al Tompkins, a professor, author and journalist with over 50 years of experience.

The fake debate has generated widespread discussion about the intersection of AI and politics.

"I think it is also part of a larger narrative that we're seeing

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