An AI-generated voice impersonating Los Angeles mayoral candidate Nithya Raman has prompted ethics complaints against a super PAC backing Mayor Karen Bass, as former mayoral rival Rick Caruso said he would vote for Bass in the November 3 election.
Raman’s campaign filed complaints with the California Fair Political Practices Commission and the Los Angeles City Ethics Commission on Monday, accusing Thrive LA PAC of using a fabricated voice to mislead voters and failing to make clear who paid for the operation.
The dispute has brought questions over political advertising, artificial intelligence and campaign accountability to the centre of the Los Angeles mayoral contest, just eight days before polling.
Raman campaign challenges AI phone line
Thrive LA has placed signs and social media adverts around the city promoting a fictitious business called “Nithya Raman Realty”. They direct voters to a telephone number answered by a computer-generated voice resembling the councilwoman.
The material portrays Ms Raman as willing to tolerate homeless encampments, including an advert showing her holding a tent beneath the slogan “Keeping Tents on Our Streets”. One recording tells callers: “We’re bringing tent communities to your block. Would you prefer them outside your children’s school, the library or right outside your home?”
When asked whether it was meant to sound like Ms Raman, the voice replied: “Yes. That’s the point.” It also described itself as “imaginary as my campaign promises”.
The Raman campaign claims the operation breaches California laws governing digitally fabricated election material and political advertising created or substantially altered with artificial intelligence. Its complaint cites provisions requiring certain AI-generated adverts to carry a clear disclosure.
California’s Political Reform Act states that a qualified political advert must include the wording: “Ad generated or substantially altered using artificial intelligence.” The law also defines such material as audio or other media that could falsely appear authentic to a reasonable person.
The campaign further argues that the phone line should identify itself as a political advert and disclose its funding. Los Angeles campaign rules require audio communications by independent expenditure groups to state clearly that they are political advertising at the beginning or end of the recording.
The complaints are allegations and do not establish that Thrive LA has broken the law. The city Ethics Commission said it could not comment on complaints, while the state commission had not immediately responded to requests for comment.
Ana Teresa Dahan, Thrive LA’s executive director, rejected the claims and defended the material as satire. She said the group’s spending had been properly disclosed and that the campaign was protected political speech.
“AI was a tool to express our First Amendment right for political satire,” Ms Dahan said. She added that anyone calling the number would realise that it was not a real person and said Thrive LA planned to continue its advertising until election day.
Liz Garcia, a spokesperson for Ms Raman, accused Bass allies of “cloning Nithya’s voice, manufacturing her words, and hiding who is paying for it, all to deceive voters”.
Caruso backs former rival Bass
Separately, Mr Caruso announced that he would vote for Ms Bass, despite spending millions challenging her in the 2022 mayoral election.
“I will be casting my ballot for Mayor Karen Bass,” he said, while making clear that he was not issuing a formal endorsement. He said he had considered both candidates and believed Ms Bass was better prepared to lead Los Angeles.
Mr Caruso said his view had been influenced by working with the mayor on the rebuilding of Pacific Palisades after the 2025 wildfires. He praised her willingness to co-operate on permitting, public-private partnerships and efforts to help families return to the fire-damaged community.
Ms Bass welcomed his support, saying she and Mr Caruso had “a long history of working together to solve big problems”. She pointed to their work on the Palisades Recreation Center and the reopening of Palisades Village.
Mr Caruso has nevertheless remained critical of Ms Raman, particularly over her position on Los Angeles police chief Jim McDonnell. He said he believed she was not ready for the mayor’s office and warned that changes at the top of the police department could damage morale and public safety.
The election pits the incumbent Democrat against Ms Raman, a Los Angeles city councilwoman, with homelessness, policing and the city’s recovery from last year’s wildfires among the defining issues of the campaign.
