In July 2024, Elon Musk created a stir when he reposted on X a deepfake campaign ad of newly minted presidential contender Vice President Kamala Harris, in which she "spoke" about her own incompetence.

It was clearly a parody and, in my humble opinion, hilarious.

Not everyone saw it that way.

Before long, Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom was promising to outlaw such manipulated political posts. He followed through, although the ban was short-lived after courts in 2025 found it an unconstitutional affront to free speech. (Since his law was overturned, Newsom has enjoyed sharing fake images and videos. But I digress.)

Fast-forward two years, and artificial intelligence has exploded in popularity, becoming a major feature of the midterm elections campaign season.

And it’s not just random social media users or satire sites like The Onion and Babylon Bee embracing the technology. Political candidates themselves, or their allies, are getting in on the act.

That has me wondering: Just because you can, should........

© USA TODAY