Synthetic politainment: a conceptual approach to AI-Generated political content in spectacular form
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.26441/RC25.2-2026-4566Keywords:
synthetic politainment, generative artificial intelligence, political communication, social media, digital platforms, audiovisual content, content analysisAbstract
Purpose. This study seeks to conceptually define synthetic politainment as a specific form of digital political communication in which the visible generative mediation of AI, the spectacularization of the message, and its orientation toward circulation across platforms converge. Methodology. The research adopts a qualitative exploratory-conceptual design and applies an analytical matrix to an intentional sample of ten international cases disseminated by political leaders and parties. Results. The findings show that synthetic politainment cannot be reduced to the mere combination of artificial intelligence and humor or satire, but rather constitutes a specific form of hybridization between artificial production, political spectacle, and platform logic. The analysis also makes it possible to identify internal variants of the phenomenon, such as technological self-parody, the satirical ridiculization of the opponent, geopolitical fantasy, and the pop spectacularization of conflicts. Conclusions. The study confirms the analytical usefulness of the term for examining emerging forms of political communication on social media. Originality/value. In summary, the article proposes an operational definition of a novel concept while also offering a methodological tool for the comparative analysis of synthetic politainment.
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