Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass criticizes mayoral candidate Spencer Pratt’s use of AI-generated advertisements, saying the campaign is contributing to a “violent trend” in how the city is portrayed. According to Bass, Pratt’s ads present Los Angeles as a crime-ridden dystopia and use a Batman-style vigilante theme. In one widely shared clip, Pratt appears as a hero fighting masked agents wearing vests marked “DSA,” a reference that Bass links to a political organization.
News outlets describe the advertisement as part of an AI ad “war” in the mayoral race, with the content designed as a viral, superhero-style narrative. Bass characterizes the imagery as escalating violence and draws attention to what she argues is an intentional attempt to shape public perception through aggressive depictions.
Spencer Pratt’s campaign disputes or reframes the intent behind the ads, while the controversy centers on whether the creative approach relies on heightened, violent imagery. The exchanges unfold against the backdrop of a competitive Los Angeles mayoral contest and increasing use of AI tools in political messaging.
