Panel examines rise of misleading political ads and AI-driven disinformation ahead of elections

In a Raw Politics episode recorded in Auckland, Marc Daalder, Sam Sachdeva and Tim Murphy explored whether misleading political attacks, some generated by artificial intelligence, could sway voters before the formal campaign begins. The panel scrutinized two National Party advertisements that were pulled and considered ongoing accusations between major parties. They also assessed the state of the Parliament, noting disciplinary lapses and inconsistent rulings by the Speaker.

The discussion turned to Nicky Hager's latest release, "Dirty Work," noting its lighter evidential base compared with his earlier investigations. Recommendations for further reading included Dave Williams' 2023 Taxpayers’ Union inquiry, the latest Ipsos Issues Monitor showing Labour ahead on most public concerns, and RNZ’s Kate Newton reporting on a government denial of a proposed ocean-dumping law change.