Jacobi Crowley: AI-generated Candidate?

Jacobi Crowley did not disclose his use of AI-generated campaign materials. Is this morally permissible?

Crowley as he appeared at KSWO’s 2024 Lawton mayoral debate

In my research for my piece on the 2024 Lawton mayoral race, I found that Jacobi Crowley, one of the leading candidates, has made use of AI-generated campaign materials. While I don’t object to the use of artificial intelligence as a tool, I don’t believe that he’s always used this tool in good faith. Ethical debates about whether it right or wrong to use AI in any given circumstance are widespread in today’s world. Here, I will go over two examples of the Crowley campaign’s use of AI.

For my first example, I have a post that Mr. Crowley made on August 12th on Facebook and Instagram. The main feature of the post is a video where he asks the user to stop what they’re doing on social media and go to his website. The caption for this video is most likely AI-generated. QuillBot, GPTZero, and Scribbr are three widely-used, highly reputable applications used for determining whether a selection of text is AI-generated. Upon submitting the passage to these applications, they informed me that there was a 100%, 91%, and a 76% chance that the caption had been AI-generated, respectively. (See screenshots below)

Test results from QuillBot, GPTZero, and Scribbr

Personally, I don’t take issue with this use of artificial intelligence. Very few people are going to read the caption to this video anyway, so using artificial intelligence seems reasonable, if somewhat lazy.

However, I do take issue with my second example. On June 19th, Mr. Crowley announced that he would be running to be the mayor of Lawton in a long Facebook post, detailing his promise to improve infrastructure, ensure law and order, and raise the minimum wage. This post, however, is almost certainly AI-generated. Using the same three applications as in the previous example, each one returned a 100% likelihood that the posts were AI-generated.

These results are damning.

Frankly, this post is embarrassing. If one is so passionate about running for mayor, surely, it shouldn’t be a great ask that one should at least write their own campaign platform. Even if Mr. Crowley isn’t a strong writer, he could have consulted a co-worker, a fellow churchgoer, or a friend to help him write such an important document, one that supposedly reflects his deeply held personal convictions.

For me, this use of artificial intelligence undermines my trust in Mr. Crowley as a public figure. I find it hard to believe that someone is up to the task of taking on public office if they can’t be bothered to write what they believe for themselves. 

However, this all represents my personal opinion. The use and misuse of artificial intelligence remains a contentious subject, and we are still in the process of drawing the moral boundaries on what constitutes an acceptable use of artificial intelligence. For my part, I believe in a policy of discretion and honesty. If one needs help with writing something , I believe one should consider whether artificial intelligence is the right tool for the job. Oftentimes, seeking the advice of peers is a far more fruitful exercise and can result in an end product which is more reflective of the writer and their intentions. Regardless, if one is going to employ artificial intelligence, then they should be transparent about having used it. 

Note: Prior to publishing this article, I reached out to the Crowley campaign with a request for comment. He did not respond.