A motorcycle rolls along by the side of sun-splashed paddy fields. The rider is Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the man riding pillion is Kerala’s Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. They exude warmth as the breeze caresses their neatly coiffed hair.

Visuals rendered using AI premium tools with a cinematic flourish in the most outlandish settings are the most telling signs of a new-age campaign in the run-up to the Kerala assembly polls 2026. Sunny scenes of Modi and Pinarayi looking inseparable, delivered in brisk cuts, capture the UDF’s potent slogan on the BJP-CPM deal. ‘In love’, the caption reads, summarising the ‘CJP’ alliance, being widely disseminated by the Congress.

The AI-based videos generated for political campaign are simply slices of cinema. It melds animation, thunderous sound effects backed by filmy tales which almost look like scripted flashbacks in blockbusters. It could be the rousing tale of a deprived youth becoming an MLA like in the campaign video of Mavelikkara CPM candidate M S Arun Kumar or Revenue Minister K Rajan arriving through a puff of dust to masses, frantic with excitement.

Supporters and social media users are also creating and sharing videos to promote their views or react to trending topics.

In some cases, parties have released AI-generated music videos on politically sensitive issues, such as the Sabarimala gold theft case and allegations of an LDF-BJP nexus in the state. “An AI-generated video on the temple gold theft, featuring the Chief Minister and other officials, made by us had gone viral but has since been removed by the police,” Congress MP and party media cell head Hibi Eden said.

“The use of AI has grown significantly in recent times. During my last Parliament election, I used just one AI video. Now, entire campaigns are driven by AI,” he said. He added that AI is used to enhance candidate images, making them appear younger and more polished.

“AI is widely used in campaign visuals. In one of our songs written by Ebi Pappachan, nearly 60 per cent of the visuals were generated by AI. Other uses of AI include using it to create large crowds, etc.,” he said, adding that such content is labelled as per Election Commission guidelines. However, he raised concerns that many people, especially the elderly, may find it hard to tell real content from AI-generated material.

Kiran, a member of the Congress party, said AI is just a tool used as part of the party's content strategy, especially for satire and creative storytelling, as it helps improve reach.

The BJP’s social media content, meanwhile, has focused on countering allegations of an LDF-BJP nexus. Songs like ‘Randalla, onnaane’ portray both fronts as being the same. In one such poster, the Chief Minister looks into a river and sees the Opposition Leader’s reflection. In another video, the Chief Minister walks into a building labelled ‘High Command’ and comes out as V D Satheesan.

Abhijith Radhakrishnan, head of the BJP’s Kerala media team, said AI use is relatively restrained and mainly limited to response videos targeting opponents. ‘People still value original, human-centric content. We use AI only where necessary to respond to allegations and set things straight,’ he said, adding that such content must remain within acceptable limits. ‘AI also has its limitations,’ he added.

AI is also changing how campaign visuals look. Candidates are often shown in stylised posters with dramatic backgrounds and high-impact music, similar to scenes from films. For instance, UDF candidate from Ponnani, K P Noushad Ali, is shown overlooking the coast and fisherfolk, with his hands clasped behind his back, alongside the Malayalam word ‘Amarakaran’ in bold.

CPM member Sooraj Surendran, who is associated with the campaign, said the party mainly uses AI for visualisation centred on development. “It helps people understand how projects like bridges or smart cities will look in the future,” he said. Instead of long documents, parties are now releasing AI-generated videos showing future developments such as smart cities, high-speed rail or improved schools. He added that AI is widely used in posters and creative content, especially to attract younger audiences. The party has also used AI along with real visuals in campaigns, including videos to depict events like the 2018 floods.

While the party follows Election Commission guidelines, there are no strict internal limits on AI use, he said. Soon after unveiling its manifesto, the LDF also released a mix of real and AI-generated content highlighting its key promises. Meanwhile, the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI), the party's youth wing, has launched an election chatbot for people to easily access the manifesto.

Thomas K Varghese, a photographer working with a sitting MLA V K Prasanth’s media team, said AI helps create visual comparisons of projects and generate images when original footage is not available. However, he noted that such visuals may not always be fully accurate. “We mainly use AI to create before-and-after visuals of key projects. Since there isn’t always enough footage from earlier stages or during construction, AI helps enhance limited material and makes it easier for people to understand. By feeding project master plans into AI tools, we can also generate visuals of how the finished project will look,” he said. “He added that AI content is quicker to produce and often more engaging. ‘However, the finished visual cannot be edited further; only captions can be added,’ he said.

Interestingly, AI is also being used to recreate images of past leaders like Oommen Chandy and E K Nayanar to connect with voters. These visuals aim to appeal to older voters who may not relate to modern, Gen Z-style campaign content.

The Election Commission has also chipped in with AI-generated videos on voter awareness.