Synthetic AI-created influencers were actively shaping political discourse ahead of Brazil's presidential election as of 2026-08-27, including figures like 'Dona Maria' spreading anti-government messaging against President Lula. Brazil served as a testing ground for AI's political influence on social platforms.
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When political influencer Dona Maria sits before a microphone to tell Brazilians what is wrong with their country and how President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva is making it worse, they hang on her every word.
Synthetic creators can build communities around shared political views
Brazil, which was previously at the forefront of debate on the use of X and WhatsApp in politics, is now a potent testing ground for AI during the upcoming presidential campaign. Beatriz Reis explains (Source: Bloomberg)