In an unprecedented move, an artificial intelligence avatar named ‘AI Steve’ is running as an independent candidate for a seat in the UK Parliament. AI Steve is the brainchild of real-life businessman Steven Endacott, who vows to follow the AI’s guidance if elected.
“Policies for the people by the people,” AI Steve declared recently, embodying Endacott’s vision of direct democracy enabled by AI. The AI candidate can engage in up to 10,000 conversations simultaneously to poll constituents on every issue.
“We use AI to evolve more human decisions. That is taking over and empowering me as a politician to directly be connected on a daily basis to constituents,” Endacott explained regarding his AI counterpart.
While Endacott touts AI Steve as bolstering democracy, experts worry such technology could undermine elections through deepfakes and robocalls. A former Pakistani leader already employed AI to voice campaign speeches from prison.
Endacott dismissed the concerns, boasting: “He has answered 2000 phone calls in the last three days. I could not do that.”
Whether gimmick or glimpse of the future, AI Steve’s unorthodox candidacy is shaking up the UK political establishment. As artificial intelligence evolves, Endacott’s experiment could portend direct democracy powered by machine learning — or a dystopian Black Mirror episode come to life.
Featured image: Credit: Steven Endacott/CNBC
