NDP leadership hopeful apologizes after using AI to answer Reddit questions

NDP leadership candidate and union leader Rob Ashton has apologized after admitting that artificial intelligence was used to generate some of his responses during an online Reddit campaign event over the weekend.

Users on the social media platform Reddit flagged several answers during Ashton’s AMA — short for “ask me anything” — that appeared to be written by AI, pointing to stylistic clues such as heavy use of em dashes and structured bullet points. The concerns gained traction after being raised publicly on the r/ndp subreddit.

Shortly afterward, a statement was posted by Ashton’s campaign acknowledging the use of AI tools.

“Some of those answers were written with the help of AI tools and I’m deeply sorry about that,” the campaign wrote. “A key part of leadership is accountability, and I want to reassure everyone that this won’t happen again.”

The campaign said Ashton was travelling at the time and had asked volunteers to draft responses for him to review, but some were posted without his approval.

Ashton, a dockworker and president of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union Canada, has positioned himself as a working-class candidate in a closely contested race to lead the New Democratic Party. He has been vocal about the risks of artificial intelligence to jobs, artists, and democratic systems.

During the AMA, Ashton’s account posted messages warning that AI is being used to replace workers, spread misinformation, and concentrate power among corporations. He called for strong federal regulation, including a royal commission and updated laws governing AI.

“The bottom line: both fascism and unregulated AI are class issues,” one post stated. “They serve corporate power by dividing workers and stripping people of control.”

Following the backlash, Ashton said he would delete the AI-generated responses and replace them with his own writing in the coming days.

Reaction from Reddit users was mixed. Some accepted the apology, while others said the use of AI undermined Ashton’s credibility, particularly given his stance on the technology. One supporter wrote that they had recruited dozens of new party members because of Ashton, but said the incident was “not acceptable.”

Other leadership campaigns were quick to distance themselves from the controversy. Representatives for rival candidate Tony McQuail said his campaign does not use AI. Campaigns for Avi Lewis, Heather McPherson, and Tanille Johnston also emphasized human-led communications and accountability.

The NDP leadership race, which began last fall, has largely avoided major controversies, making the AI episode one of the more notable missteps so far. Party members are set to choose a new leader in March, and with the race described as tight, even small incidents could influence the outcome.