Running for Office? Get Yourself an Ai Avatar.
Friendlier and more charming than your average politician, AI Steve, the first AI candidate, is running for Parliament.
Friendlier and more charming than your average politician, AI Steve, the first AI candidate, is running for Parliament.
Friendlier and more charming than your average politician, and available 24/7 to answer any questions you might have about policy—that’s the value proposition to the constituents of Brighton and Hove on the South Coast of England. AI Steve, the first ‘Artificially Intelligent’ candidate, is running for Parliament under the Smarter UK party and he’s ready to revolutionize how constituents engage and communicate with their elected representatives.
Steve Endacott, the serial tech entrepreneur for whom AI Steve was modeled, believes his AI-powered likeness allows him to be ubiquitous to the benefit of his constituents. This is a feature of the technology, of course, not a pervasive bug. He told NBC News, “I don’t have to go knock on their door, get them out of bed, when they don’t want to talk to me,” which, according to him, is becoming an archaic practice (NBC News). Instead, at https://www.ai-steve.co.uk/, voters come to AI Steve and speak with a cartoonish-looking avatar that mirrors the real Steve in looks and sound. The technology was developed by Neural Voice, a company he holds a stake in and where he sits as chairman of the board.
Endacott’s association with Neural Voice, the company behind his AI avatar, might be a cause of concern for some. This scenario, reminiscent of a scene out of “Black Mirror,” raises questions about the ethics of a tech guru creating an omnipresent digital avatar and positioning it before a potentially vulnerable and susceptible audience. Voters will have to debate whether this innovative use of AI is genuinely beneficial or just downright creepy.
However, when speaking with The Independent, Endacott claimed he was simply “a bit of a numpty being told what to do.” He explained, “That is the whole idea of democracy. You have to put away your own personal politics, your own ego and actually do what your constituents want” (The Independent).
Building on this democratic approach, Endacott has developed an intuitive system designed to ensure that the proposed policies genuinely reflect the community’s needs and desires. According to AI Steve’s website, this system relies on local validators, who play a crucial role in evaluating and endorsing these policies.
Here’s how it works:
This process aims to democratize policy-making, enabling continuous and direct feedback from the electorate. By incorporating the community’s input, it ensures that the decisions made in Parliament align closely with the public’s desires.
AI Steve represents a radical shift in how we might think about political representation and engagement. By leveraging cutting-edge technology, Steve Endacott aims to create a more direct and responsive dialogue between constituents and their representative. While the idea of an AI candidate may seem like something out of science fiction, it also opens up exciting possibilities for the future of democracy.
However, this innovative approach does come with its own set of concerns. The ethical implications of using AI in politics, potential biases in the technology, and the overarching influence of tech companies like Neural Voice all need careful consideration. As AI Steve steps into the political arena, the true test will be how well this new tool serves the people it aims to represent and whether it can genuinely enhance the democratic process without compromising its integrity.
Ultimately, the success of AI Steve will depend on the willingness of voters to embrace this new technology and actively participate in shaping its policies. If successful, AI Steve could pave the way for more AI-driven initiatives in politics, offering a glimpse into a future where technology and democracy work hand in hand for the betterment of society.