New York City mayoral candidate Andrew Cuomo is under fire after his campaign posted an AI-generated video that drew immediate criticism and was subsequently deleted within 20 minutes. The video, titled “Criminals for Zohran Mamdani,” featured disturbing AI-created imagery of violence and crime, including portrayals of a Black man in a keffiyeh, a sex trafficker, and a drug dealer, all depicted as supporters of Mamdani.
Despite its short lifespan, the video quickly spread across social media, prompting widespread outrage from various political circles. Journalist Prem Thakker was among those who reposted the clip, amplifying the backlash. Shannon Watts, founder of Moms Demand Action, condemned the video as “gross and full of racist stereotypes,” while Laila Al-Arian of Al Jazeera’s Fault Lines expressed concern about the impact of such imagery on the perceptions of Palestinian New Yorkers.
Media scholar Benjamín Schultz-Figueroa criticized the video as “next-level fascist AI slop,” and MSNBC reporter Antonia Hylton described it as “sad and pretty racist.” The Cuomo campaign has been releasing multiple AI-generated videos in the lead-up to the November 4 election, including content featuring AI renditions of former mayor Bill de Blasio and Mamdani himself.
In response to the controversy, Mamdani took to Instagram to say, “Maybe a fake Cuomo is better than the real one,” highlighting the ongoing tensions as both candidates vie for the city’s top position.
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