In the upcoming election in the United Kingdom (UK), only one person, Steve Endacott, seems to be running. He is essentially representing an AI.
Update on July 31, 2024: The AI candidate has failed. Steve Al, as an independent candidate, has received only 179 out of a total of 52,572 votes cast, according to the official results, which you can view here on the Brighton website. Steve Endacott has come last in his district with his AI.
Which election is this about? Britain is electing a new House of Commons in July 2024. This body determines legislation and the state budget. It is the most crucial entity of British democracy in everyday life. It includes representatives from Northern Ireland, Wales, Scotland, and England.
So, is AI on the ballot? No, not quite. The ballot will feature the English entrepreneur Steve Endacott, but behind him stands an AI and an avatar, AI Steve. So, if he were elected, he would sit in Parliament, but how he would decide on votes or behave politically would be determined by the AI.
What does this have to do with Black Mirror? Black Mirror is a science-fiction/dystopia series on Netflix. One episode deals with the story of the AI comedy character Waldo, who gets involved in politics – with various consequences.
The avatar is also supposed to play an important role in the election campaign and interact with voters. This has been reported by the Independent, a newspaper from England.
AI Steve and Steve Endacott
Who is Steve Endacott? Endacott is an English entrepreneur and investor from Rochdale. This is a town in Northwest England. He firmly believes, according to his blog, that in the future, interaction with AI through speech will play a significant role in all areas of society. His professional focus was in the travel industry before his semi-retirement.
What exactly does the AI intend to do? According to statements made during an interview with Steve Endacott conducted by the Independent, he wants to provide access to the AI seven days a week, 24 hours a day. Through various levels, which also include volunteers from Rochdale, the proposals selected by the AI are to be incorporated into Endacott’s political work.
What does AI Steve want to implement? The quasi-spokesperson of the AI calls for, for example:
- 4-day work week, as AIs are “destroying many jobs”. Does the AI see the irony in this?
- The capacity of English prisons should be increased.
- Elimination of a fee levied in London to reduce traffic emissions.
- The state social security should be expanded.
- Sensors on garbage collection trucks to monitor route compliance. This aims to address overflowing trash containers.
We are talking about the reinvention of democracy, where voters can directly interact with their representatives and tell them what they demand – all from the comfort of their own living rooms.
Steve Endacott or AI Steve – or both, via Independent
Let’s wait and see if he has more success with AI in realizing his political ambitions. In the last election in 2022, he only received 487 votes, missing the target seat by a long shot. Perhaps he will triumph now as the spokesperson and executing arm of AI Steve.
Speaking of artificial intelligence: Beyond politics, these multi-talented helpers have long been indispensable, but they are often also the villains in stories. In the case of the sci-fi strategy game Stellaris, both apply. Because the developers at Paradox Entertainment relied not only on one or two AI creations in creating the latest expansion “The Machine Age”, but also elevate machine intelligence to a completely new level narratively – as an enemy or a friend.
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