The debate took place on Tuesday evening and attracted the attention of several hundred viewers who watched the live stream. The artificial intelligence representing Hashmi answered questions using data from her previous public speeches. Reed adhered to all the rules and did not familiarize himself with the questions in advance to ensure the integrity of the competition.
According to Reed, the main goal of the experiment was not to provoke but to provide voters with the opportunity to hear the opinions of both sides, especially considering that his opponent declined all offers to hold a real debate. "We did everything possible, offered any time and place," commented Reed's campaign manager, Noah Jennings.
Hashmi's team criticized this approach, calling it a "cheap stunt," noting that while the AI version of Gazala touched on important topics such as education and reproductive rights, they believe Reed is more interested in the show than in real voters.
The Virginia Democratic Party also reacted to the incident, stating that the AI version of Hashmi "won" in these "fake debates."
This event marked the first such experience in Virginia's history and raised concerns among AI experts. Political strategist Bob Holsworth emphasized the need to establish norms for the use of AI, warning that without them, the technology could be used more sophisticatedly in the future, possibly as early as 2026.
