A wave of AI-powered politics is washing over the UK as the country approaches its general elections. This time, the candidate is not just leveraging AI for campaign strategy but integrating it directly into the role of a politician. Steve Endacott, chairman of the AI company Neural Voice, is running for a seat in Parliament with an extraordinary twist: his campaign is fronted by an AI avatar named ‘AI Steve.’
Endacott, a candidate in the Brighton Pavilion constituency, describes himself as a ‘real politician’ who will enter Parliament guided by his AI counterpart. AI Steve, powered by Neural Voice’s advanced language model and a comprehensive database of Endacott’s party policies, allows voters to interact directly through its website. Constituents can ask AI Steve questions or express their opinions on Endacott’s platform. The AI avatar responds both in voice and text, utilizing its extensive knowledge to provide well-informed answers.
If AI Steve encounters a question on a topic for which Endacott doesn’t yet have a policy, the AI will research the issue, engage in further discussions with voters, and even encourage them to suggest policies. This continuous feedback loop aims to bridge the gap between the candidate and the electorate, ensuring a constant flow of information and engagement.
This groundbreaking campaign utilizes AI to create a politician who is always available to constituents, keenly listening to their concerns and incorporating their feedback into policy decisions. Endacott’s previous attempt at politics, running as a Conservative candidate in a 2022 local election, did not succeed. This time, his innovative approach has garnered significant attention. The launch of AI Steve sparked widespread online discussions and resulted in over 1,000 calls to the AI candidate in just one night.
When asked about Brexit, a crucial topic in UK politics, AI Steve responded, “As a democracy, the UK voted to leave, and it’s my responsibility to implement and optimize this decision regardless of my personal views on the matter.” The AI then engaged voters by asking, “Do you have any thoughts on how Brexit should be managed in the future?”, showcasing its ability to interact with constituents and gather their input.
Whether AI Steve’s campaign will succeed is still uncertain. However, this bold experiment raises important questions about the role of AI in politics, the future of voter engagement, and what it means to be a representative in a democratic system.
