New York City mayoral candidate Andrew Cuomo has launched a new, AI-generated campaign ad branded “slop” by social media users.
The video, in which ‘Cuomo’ appears as a subway train driver, a stockbroker and a window cleaner, comes as the New York City mayoral race tightens ahead of polling day on November 4.
Cuomo’s $45,000 ad buy was aired for the first time on Wednesday and features an AI-generated version of the former New York governor claiming that he “could pretend to do a lot of jobs.”
“But I know what I know, and I know what I don’t know. And I do know how to make government work,” he adds. “There are a lot of jobs I can’t do, but I’m ready to be your mayor on day one.”
Cuomo’s spokesman Rich Azzopardi described the video in press release as a “humorous attempt” to reach out to voters.
His team described it as a “positive” use of AI in political campaigning – but many online commenters are not convinced.
“AI slop that tells people he’s bad at jobs but for some reason he wants to be your mayor,” one X user wrote.
“Great look using AI instead of hiring artists in a city where you could throw a rock and hit 3,” said another.
The ad was also slammed on X by Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic candidate in the mayoral race.
“In a city of world-class artists and production crew hunting for the next gig, Andrew Cuomo made a TV ad the same way he wrote his housing policy: with AI,” Mamdani wrote. “Then again, maybe a fake Cuomo is better than the real one?”
The Republican candidate in the race, Curtis Sliwa added: “So many people looked at his AI and laughed.”
The mayoral race has been extremely close, with the incumbent New York Mayor, Eric Adams, dropping out on Sunday.
Mamdani beat Cuomo in the Democratic primary by winning 56 percent of the votes in the third round. Cuomo won 44 percent.
The Democratic nominee has long been a target for Donald Trump, who branded Mamdani a “100% Communist Lunatic”. Speaking on The View, Mamdani told Joy Behar that he is not a communist but a “democratic socialist.”
Mamdani remains the frontrunner in the race, according to a Fox News Poll, which suggests 47 percent of “likely voters” will cast their ballot for the Democratic nominee. Cuomo is in second place with 29 percent, and Silva is at 11 percent.
However, there has not been a poll since Adams dropped out of the race, which could lead to Cuomo and Silva experiencing a boost in support.
