Republicans had a quick response to President Joe Biden's midnight announcement that he will formally seek re-election, and it came in the form of an AI-generated video ad called "Beat Biden."

Damaging ad created by AI

The ad shows images of China invading Taiwan, a police takeover of San Francisco, and empty buildings on Wall Street.

On screen, text flashes say:

• What if the weakest president we've ever had were re-elected?
• What if international tensions escalate?
• What if financial systems crumble?
• What if our border is gone?
• What if crime worsens?

A voice then says, "Who's in charge here? It feels like the train is coming off the tracks."

An RNC spokesperson verified that the ad was completely AI-generated. Both parties have said that they plan to leverage AI in upcoming campaign cycles.

Democrats mock AI ad

For their part, Democrats generally mocked the AI-generated ad.

Democratic National Committee Executive Director Sam Cornale suggested in so many words that using AI showed desperation. “When your operative class has been decimated, and you’re following MAGA Republicans off a cliff, I suppose you have no choice but to ask AI to help,” he tweeted Tuesday.

“The RNC’s response to the Biden announcement suggests that they still haven’t figured out an argument against Biden that makes sense to anyone outside of the MAGA media bubble,” former Obama White House official and co-host of Pod Save America Dan Pfeiffer said.

But the fact that AI could take things that Biden actually did or that happened under Biden and make an ad like that should tell Democrats that his failures are right out there for everyone who can think logically to see.

The saving grace of Democrats may be that most people can't think logically anymore, or haven't learned to do so, or just don't want to make the effort. Feelings (Trump is mean) are so much easier.

So out-of-touch

RNC chairwoman Ronna McDaniel defended the ad and pushed back against the narrative that Biden was doing a good job as president, saying, “Biden is so out-of-touch that after creating crisis after crisis, he thinks he deserves another four years. If voters let Biden ‘finish the job,’ inflation will continue to skyrocket, crime rates will rise, more fentanyl will cross our open borders, children will continue to be left behind, and American families will be worse off. Republicans are united to beat Biden and Americans are counting down the days until they can send Biden packing.”

Outside the AI sphere, the Wall Street Journal said Biden's decision to run for re-election "plays dice" with the country.

At Biden's age, his health could drastically decline at any time. People might decide they don't hate Trump so much because his policies actually work, or prosecutors could anger the public by overreaching in a blatantly political manner to try to marginalize him.