Unprecedented AI Candidacy

In an unprecedented move, an artificial intelligence candidate named “AI Steve” will be on the ballot for the United Kingdom’s general election next month. Represented by Sussex businessman Steve Endacott, AI Steve will compete alongside traditional candidates to represent the Brighton Pavilion area in Brighton and Hove, located on England’s southern coast. Endacott, the chairman of Neural Voice—a company specializing in creating personalized voice assistants for businesses—explains that AI Steve serves as his AI co-pilot. Although Endacott is the official candidate, he emphasizes that his decisions will be guided by AI Steve, one of seven avatars developed by Neural Voice to demonstrate their technology.

AI Steve’s Interaction with Constituents

The concept behind AI Steve is to utilize AI to create a politician who is constantly accessible to constituents, taking their views into account. Constituents can interact with AI Steve on its website by asking questions or sharing opinions on Endacott’s policies. The AI, powered by a large language model, provides responses in both voice and text, drawing from a comprehensive database of his party’s policies. For issues not covered by existing policies, the AI conducts internet research and encourages voters to propose new policies. Notably, AI Steve publicly responded to a question about Brexit by affirming the importance of implementing and optimizing the decision, reflecting the democratic vote to leave the EU.

Seeking Validators for Policy Approval

Endacott is seeking thousands of “validators”—local residents with long commutes—to score his policies from 1 to 10 on a weekly basis. Policies receiving over 50% approval become official party policies. Endacott asserts that his decisions will reflect the voters’ choices, maintaining direct, weekly electronic communication with them. Despite his previous unsuccessful run in a local election under the Conservative Party, the unique nature of his current campaign has generated significant interest. When news of AI Steve’s launch leaked online, it prompted about 1,000 calls to the AI in one night, with voters expressing concerns about issues such as Palestinian safety, trash bins, bicycle lanes, immigration, and abortion.

Political Alignment and Motivations

Endacott describes himself as a “centralist” with views closely aligned with the Green Party, although his own party, Smarter U.K., was not registered in time for this election. He insists that his use of AI Steve is not driven by personal business interests, noting his less than 10% stake in Neural River, the platform behind AI Steve. His primary goal is to push for governmental changes to reduce carbon emissions, whether through holding office or influencing politics. Should AI Steve be elected, it would be the first instance of an AI legislator in public office, although similar uses of AI in politics have occurred, such as in Wyoming and Denmark. Endacott stresses that his platform is serious and aims to involve more human interaction in politics, leveraging AI to enhance democratic engagement beyond the traditional electoral cycle.

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