I spent a month experimenting with AI video. Here's how smart campaigns will use it.

A month of trial and error shows where AI video can already give campaigns an edge — and where the hype still outpaces reality.

We’re told AI is going to change everything, and I think that’s mostly right. In politics, the pitch goes like this: AI will make ads faster to produce, cheaper to create, and more tailored to specific voters — transforming how campaigns communicate.

I can see that happening, but we are definitely not there yet.

The technology is improving quickly, and you have to remember that this is the worst it will ever be. But for now, behind every slick demo you see online, there’s a glitchy, awkward mess hiding just off camera.

That’s why I spent the past month testing one of the most advanced AI video tools for non-professional filmmakers. Some results were laughable. Others could slip into a professional ad unnoticed.

Here’s where AI video fits into a campaign’s toolbox in 2025 — and where it still falls apart.

Early misfires

The first clip I tried to make was simple: me walking down the street in my hometown. The result? A creepy, almost-me avatar whose mouth didn’t match the words. I won’t dare…