A Republican candidate for Michigan’s 8th Congressional District is being chastised on social media, after a TikTok video surfaced featuring an apparently artificial intelligence-created voiceover of the late Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. appearing to endorse the candidate.
Anthony Hudson, of Grand Blanc, apologized for the video on social media. He said the video, which was posted to X by the Heartland Signal but does not appear to be still on TikTok, was made after a campaign volunteer gave social media login credentials to a friend who made and uploaded the video.
GOP congressional candidate Anthony Hudson (MI-08) posts a TikTok featuring an AI-generated MLK Jr. voice:
“I have another dream! Yes, it is me, Martin Luther King. I came back from the dead to say something … Anthony Hudson will be Michigan 8th District’s next congressman.” pic.twitter.com/8BarOfXfI2
— Heartland Signal (@HeartlandSignal) June 14, 2024
The video features an AI-generated voiceover of the late King appearing to spoof his own “I Have a Dream” speech, the landmark address King gave on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial during the civil rights movement in 1963.
“I have another dream,” an AI-generated voiceover of King states. “Yes, it is me, Martin Luther King. I came back from the dead to say something. As I was saying, I have another dream that Anthony Hudson will be Michigan’s 8th District’s next congressman. Yes, I have a dream again. Okay, now I am going back to where I came from, goodbye.”
King was assassinated in Memphis in 1968.
The video also ends with a voiceover, purportedly from Hudson, saying “My name is Anthony Hudson, and I approve this message.”
Hudson’s TikTok page appeared to be taken down after the video surfaced on X, formerly Twitter.
Hudson denied involvement with the creation of the video, and said it was mistakenly posted after his social media credentials were given to a friend by a campaign volunteer.
“It appears that they not only used AI for MLKjr’s (sic) voice but also with my voice to make it appear more authentic,” Hudson posted. “The volunteer has been released and all my social media credentials have been updated. I would have NEVER approved such a STUPID and DISRESPECTFUL video! I sincerely apologize that all of you have seen this and I’m extremely furious about this situation.”
Hudson didn’t immediately respond to a message from the Free Press seeking comment.
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Users quickly condemned the video on social media.
“Disgusting,” one posted.
“Yikes! That is problematic in many many ways. So much cringe,” said another.
Last year, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed bills regulating the use of AI in political ads in Michigan — campaigns must flag any time AI is used in a paid campaign ad or material, although it’s not immediately clear the video initially posted by Hudson’s campaign was a paid ad.
Michigan’s 8th District covers Flint, Saginaw, Midland and Bay City. U.S. Rep. Dan Kildee, D-Flint, has represented the area encompassing the district since 2013. Kildee announced last year he would not seek reelection.
Hudson is considerably less recognizable than two other Republicans vying for the seat — Paul Junge, who ran against Kildee in 2022, and former Dow Chemical executive Mary Draves are also running for the GOP nomination.
Three Democrats are also running to replace Kildee: state Sen. Kristen McDonald Rivet, D-Bay City, Michigan Board of Education President Pamela Pugh and former Flint Mayor Matt Collier.
Contact Arpan Lobo: alobo@freepress.com.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan congressional hopeful posts video of AI-generated MLK speech
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