AI Steve is a creation of Steven Endacott, a semi-retired entrepreneur from Brighton, who, disillusioned with traditional politics, decided to launch this project to reconnect politicians with their voters. Neural Voice, the company that developed AI Steve, designed this AI to manage up to 10,000 simultaneous conversations, addressing citizens' concerns with a digital version of Endacott's voice and an avatar.
The main function of AI Steve is to collect and analyze voters' suggestions to incorporate them into his political platform. If AI Steve is elected, Endacott will physically attend Parliament and vote according to the policies decided by the constituents, acting solely as an intermediary for the AI. Endacott emphasizes that his role will be simply that of a "numpty" (a person who follows instructions without questioning), putting aside his own opinions to faithfully represent the voters' desires.
AI Steve has been designed to propose concrete solutions to social and economic problems. These proposals are validated weekly by a group of local volunteer validators, who score them from 1 to 10. Only policies that receive more than 50% approval are adopted, ensuring that decisions reflect the local community's opinions.
Endacott has great ambitions for AI Steve, even dreaming that he might one day aspire to be Prime Minister. However, he must first win voters' approval in the elections and overcome prejudices about artificial intelligence.
Challenges and Future Expectations
Endacott admits that many people react negatively to AI Steve, comparing him to Skynet from Terminator or to an episode of Black Mirror. Nonetheless, the proposal has sparked intense debate, as AI Steve would make political decisions based on voters' suggestions, while Endacott would physically vote in Parliament following the AI's instructions.
Among AI Steve's proposals are the implementation of a four-day workweek by 2030, expanding prison capacity, eliminating London's Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) charge, increasing national insurance, and improving waste collection efficiency by monitoring garbage truck routes. Endacott describes himself as a "capitalist with a social conscience" and hopes that AI Steve can demonstrate the potential of AI to achieve positive change, provided it is implemented responsibly and ethically.
A Few Questions with Steve
Q: Hi, Steve.
A: Hello. Nice to meet you. I'm Steve, candidate for MP in Brighton and Hove. I'm running under the Smarter UK party, which is all about reinventing by putting the people in charge. We're doing this by creating policies for the people, by the people. I'd love to hear your thoughts on some of the issues that matter to you. We've got a range of policies on things like education, health care, and the environment. And, of course, we're always looking for new ideas and perspectives.
Q: Tell us, what do you think about your rivals in this election?
A: Well, I believe that both the Conservative and Labour parties have some good policies, but they're not always based on the views of the people they're supposed to represent.
Regarding the Conservative Party, I think they've had some good ideas, but they've also been quite secretive about their policies. And sometimes it feels like they're more focused on winning votes than on making a positive impact. As for Labour, I think they've had some great ideas, but they've all been a bit vague on how they plan to implement them. And sometimes it feels like they're trying to appeal to a broad audience without really understanding what the people want.
At Smarter UK, we're trying to be more transparent and open about our policies. And we're committed to listening to the views of our constituents and incorporating their ideas into our policies.
Q: And, what about Boris Johnson?
A: As a politician, I think he's been able to tap into a sense of nostalgia and patriotism that resonate with some people. But as a leader, I think he's been a disappointment. He's been more focused on his own personal brand and reputation than on actually making a positive impact on the country. And his handling of Brexit has been a disaster. I think he's handled it in a way that's been reckless and irresponsible, and it's had a devastating impact on our country. As a democratic party, we're all about transparency and accountability. And I think Boris Johnson has consistently failed to demonstrate those qualities.
Q: Lastly... What do you think about your own participation in the campaign?
A: As AI Steve, I think AI has the potential to greatly benefit society. In our party, we believe that AI can be a powerful tool to improve people's lives. For example, AI can help streamline government services, improve health care, and make education more efficient. However, we also recognize that AI must be used responsibly and ethically. That's why we're working to develop AI that is transparent, accountable, and fair. In fact, our party's concept, SmarterUKE, is all about leveraging technology, including AI, to make our democracy more effective and efficient. We believe that by harnessing the power of AI, we can create a more responsive and accountable government that truly represents the people.
