Political Marketing and AI

Abstract

This roundtable will be preceded by a keynote speech from Margaritis Schinas, Vice President of the European Commission. Speakers: Dimitris Papastergiou Theodoros Karounos Theodoros Chatzipandelis This roundtable explores the evolving relationship between political marketing and artificial intelligence (AI), a nexus that is rapidly transforming the landscape of political communication and public engagement. As political campaigns increasingly rely on AI-driven tools—such as predictive analytics, sentiment analysis, chatbots, and microtargeting—the boundaries between political persuasion, data ethics, and democratic accountability become more complex and contested. Participants will examine how political actors across different contexts use AI to refine campaign strategies, personalize messaging, and monitor public opinion in real time. At the same time, the discussion will raise important normative and ethical questions: How transparent are these technologies? To what extent do they risk manipulating voters? Can regulation keep up with the pace of technological innovation? Beyond the technological dimension, the debate will also be broadened to consider leadership and political communication in times of heightened geopolitical turbulence. Special attention will be given to Europe’s political and institutional capacity to respond to complex crises—ranging from war and migration to digital sovereignty and democratic backsliding. In this context, political marketing is not merely a set of tools, but a lens through which we can understand how narratives of leadership, legitimacy, and collective identity are constructed and communicated in the algorithmic age. By bringing together scholars and practitioners from multiple disciplines, this roundtable aims to generate critical insights into the future of political marketing in an increasingly data-driven and uncertain world.