Trump falsely claims Harris campaign used artificial intelligence to inflate Michigan crowd size

How AI could blur facts this election season

Former President Donald Trump falsely claimed that the crowd at the Harris-Walz rally in Michigan was A.I. generated. Pictures and videos from the event helped to combat his claims. However, a cybersecurity expert says it is important to pay attention to the details when it comes to A.I. and the upcoming elections in November.

(FOX 2) - Over the weekend, Donald Trump falsely claimed that pictures taken of the Kamala Harris rally in Michigan were fake and generated by artificial intelligence.

In a post on Truth Social, the social media platform where Trump posts updates, the former president said Harris "CHEATED" by using fake images to exaggerate the size of the crowd that attended the rally outside Detroit last week.

"There was nobody at the plane, and she "A.I.’d" it, and showed a massive "crowd" of so-called followers, BUT THEY DIDN’T EXIST!" he wrote online.

In addition to streaming the rally on FOX 2 Detroit, there were also photos and videos taken of the event, as well as rebukes from the Harris campaign. Additionally, the social media platform X also fact-checked posts claiming that crowd photos were fake.

The full speech can be found online here.

Image 1 of 3

▼

DETROIT, MICHIGAN - AUGUST 07: Democratic U.S. presidential candidate Vice President Kamala Harris and Democratic vice presidential candidate Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz walk off an aircraft after they landed at the Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport for a campaign rally on August 7, 2024 in Detroit, Michigan. Vice President Harris continue to campaign for the presidential election after she announced Walz as her running mate. (Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

Matt Maddock, a Michigan state representative, parroted the claim by sharing "Total fake crowds and they are using AI to fool America."

An estimated 15,000 people showed up to the rally, which took place last Wednesday at an airport hanger near Detroit Metro Airport. It was the first visit by Harris and her running mate Tim Walz, who was announced as the Democratic nominee for vice president last week.

Kamala Harris, Tim Walz visit Detroit

In total, the Harris-Walz ticket will travel through seven states this week. Michigan is the largest rally of the Harris-Walz presidential campaign.

Crowd sizes have become a frequently-talked about angle of politics in this era, with Trump often touting the size of the crowds at his rallies.

Artificial Intelligence's influence over elections is a concern for the Michigan Secretary of State, who has argued deepfakes could allow for misinformation to spread faster - especially during an election.

Examples of politicians using A.I. to imitate other voices have already been recorded.