OFF THE BEATEN PATH
In today’s fast-paced political landscape, success in campaigns requires more than just a candidate’s charisma, clever slogans, and traditional ground operations. Political strategies have evolved into a sophisticated interplay of timeless tactics and advanced technologies, particularly artificial intelligence (AI).
AI allows campaigns to harness vast amounts of data to make informed, strategic decisions; AI has ushered in massive improvements in our ability to model voter behavior, predict outcomes, and create hyper-targeted strategies that resonate deeply with specific demographics. More than anything else in the entire history of modern politics, AI is changing the game.
The question, therefore, should not be whether AI will have an impact on modern political campaigns. The question should rightfully be: Are you ready for it?
Decoding voter sentiment
AI is perhaps most impactful in its ability to decode voter sentiment. By analyzing social media trends, survey responses, and even public speeches, AI algorithms can generate a near-real-time understanding of public opinion. A campaign that leverages this insight will be able to craft messages and generally fine-tune the campaign’s communications so that they are able to resonate on an emotional level while addressing specific voter concerns.
In the recent US presidential elections, for example, AI-driven sentiment analysis was instrumental in identifying key voter concerns, tracking shifts in public mood, and even predicting the effectiveness of particular policy messages or slogans. This allowed the campaigns to respond quickly to emerging trends, pivot their narratives, and connect with voters on a personal level.
Since voter decisions are often influenced by how candidates make them feel, rather than purely on policy details, campaigns have always sought to craft messages that align with the archetypal emotional triggers that drive engagement: hope, fear, anger, pride, just to name a few. AI supercharges that process by providing a real-time feedback loop, allowing campaigns to be maximally agile and, ultimately, responsive to the desires of the electorate.
Data visualization
AI’s role in data visualization and predictive modeling cannot be overstated either. By mapping voter patterns and identifying key constituencies, campaigns are able to allocate resources more effectively, focusing on areas that provide the greatest return on investment. During a campaign, for instance, identifying swing voters or persuadable demographics can make the difference between winning and losing in tight races.
A new way of looking at AI
As political campaigns continue to evolve, the integration of AI should no longer be seen as just another trend, but a transformative shift. In the age of AI, success lies in the ability to blend data-driven strategies with authentic human connections, a balance that a recently launched book, “Campaign Management for Politics and Social Change” masterfully captures.
A roadmap to winning strategies. “Winning Strategies for AI-Interconnected Electorate: Campaign Management for Politics and Social Change” by Eero Rosini Brillantes and Geraldine Torres-Brillantes dives deeply into the various facets of AI’s transformative power.
As a former Commissioner of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) at a time when improvements in data analytics, voter segmentation algorithms, and behavioral modeling were disrupting traditional campaign management paradigms almost on a weekly basis, I am acutely aware of how crucial it is to understand these upheavals and to gain some mastery of it, if one were to remain relevant. And that understanding has led to my appreciation of Brillantes’ seminal work.
“Winning Strategies” offers more than just a theoretical perspective. Helpfully, it provides practical guidance on a wide range of campaign strategies: from building an effective ground game to leveraging AI for mapping vote-rich areas. Most crucially however, it places a strong emphasis on integrating novel AI-driven tools with time-tested human insights, ensuring campaigns remain authentic and connected to the people they aim to serve.
From profiling voters to identifying swing regions, the precision and speed with which AI operates provide campaign managers with actionable insights that would have been unimaginable a decade ago. In an interconnected electorate, where opinions are shaped instantaneously through social media and digital platforms, this level of sophistication is not a luxury — it is a necessity.
Eero’s legacy
True to form for its author, Eero Brillantes, the book also crucially takes pains to shine a spotlight on often-overlooked aspects of campaign management, including crisis communication, legal compliance, and candidate health. These are critical in today’s highly scrutinized environment, where a single misstep can derail months of effort. Crisis communication strategies, for instance, are vital in mitigating the spread of misinformation or addressing controversies. AI tools are invaluable here, as they enable rapid monitoring of media coverage and social platforms, allowing teams to respond proactively.
The authors further emphasize the importance of maintaining the health and well-being of candidates and campaign workers. Long hours and relentless pressure can take a toll on mental and physical health, affecting decision-making and overall campaign momentum. By integrating practical advice on this front, the book ensures that campaigns are not just effective but also sustainable.
This human-centric approach to campaigning was vintage Eero. Despite being called back to his Maker far too early, the impact of his work from local government races to national elections — has been immense. This book, and his life’s work, is a fitting tribute to his unparalleled expertise in the realm of campaign management.
(The author is a former Comelec commissioner. He is a pioneer of automated elections being a member of the Commission that successfully modernized Philippine elections in 2010. He remains involved in public service as an election lawyer. Email: [email protected])