Steve Hilton battles Gavin Newsom, Kamala Harris and the Machine in new AI-driven campaign ad

Republican Steve Hilton is bringing AI warfare to California’s governor’s race, releasing a cinematic campaign ad Thursday that portrays Gov.Gavin Newsom, former Vice President Kamala Harris and the state’s Democratic establishment as operating a giant political “machine” that spits out Xavier Becerra as the state’s next governor.The spot was produced by Charles Curran — the brainchild behind a viral “Pratt-Man” video featuring reality television personality Spencer Pratt during his unsuccessful campaign for Los Angeles mayor.

The roughly two-minute Hilton spot — titled “Machine” — blends artificial intelligence-generated animation with live campaign footage to depict California’s Democratic leadership manufacturing Becerra as Newsom’s successor while ordinary Californians struggle with soaring taxes, high gas prices and homelessness.“This ad is showing what this is all about — the people against the corrupt machine in Sacramento,” Hilton told The Post.It comes just a day after his call for support from anti-Trump voters.“Our government has been hijacked by a group of special interests and regular Californians have been losing out.”The ad opens with a narrator declaring, “As long as the machine leaves California, nothing will ever change,” before cutting to a woman cradling a baby who says, “I don’t know if we can continue living here.”It then shifts to an AI-generated boardroom where animated versions of Newsom, Harris and political fat cats gather around a table.

Figures representing “nonprofits,” “Chamber of Commerce” and “government unions” sit nearby as Newsom tells the group, “Okay, we got to figure out this governor’s thing.I’d do it forever, but it’s my turn to be president.”“Bring in the machine,” Newsom says.

The machine flashes the name Becerra.“The Biden guy who lost all those kids,” Newsom says.“That can’t be right.Run it again,” Harris replies.Newsom then describe...