The Focus Shifts to the American State: Wyoming - Contemplating the Possibility of an AI Chatbot Assumeing the Role of Mayor in the United States.
People in Cheyenne, the principal city of the American state of Wyoming, will vote in the mayoral preliminaries on Tuesday. If they select Victor Miller, he guarantees to pass all political decisions to an AI chatbot. That's what he's promised so far. Earlier this year, Miller, alongside his personal AI chatbot named "Vic" (Virtual Integrated Citizen), declared his run for mayor of Cheyenne on the news outlet CNN.
Artificial intelligence has played a pivotal role in Miller's life, he shared with the media. It helped him draft his resume, for instance. Now, he desires to take it a step further to help his city. "I truly want this to happen," Miller affirms. In an interview with the local station Your Wyoming Link, he even lets the AI voice respond on his behalf part of the time. This indicates that his political campaign is an innovative blend. While "AI Vic" provides data-driven solutions, Victor Miller serves as the official mayor.
Miller's campaign in the 64,000-person city has sparked conversation in his state. "The Wyoming state laws explicitly state that an AI bot cannot run for office," Secretary of State Chuck Gray told the news channel NewsNation in June. He had communicated this clearly to Miller. "We're looking into how to proceed and what actions we can take. This is a disturbing trend in our country," Gray warned.
Politicians overseas also seek to use AI
The inquiry initiated by Gray did not deter Miller. City officials in Cheyenne deemed that he was merely seeking advice and instructions from the AI chatbot. Primarily, he is the mayoral contender himself.
If Miller wins, it would be a first in U.S. elections. However, this phenomenon is not restricted to the United States alone. In the UK, entrepreneur and politician Steve Endacott caused a stir when he presented "AI Steve," a KI-generated digital avatar of himself. He aimed to become the first AI-assisted MP in the British parliamentary elections on July 4. However, "AI Steve" only received 179 votes and failed.
It remains to be seen if politicians will soon depend on ChatGPT for decisions. Initiatives like Miller's and Endacott's are likely to gain traction in the future. The mayoral elections in Cheyenne serve as another litmus test for whether the citizens are ready for this shift as well.
In response to the Secretary of State's concerns, Miller argued that he was solely using the AI chatbot for advice and guidance, not as a replacement for his own candidacy. Despite the legal hurdles, other politicians, such as UK entrepreneur Steve Endacott, have also experimented with AI in their campaigns, although without significant success so far. Other political figures might consider following these trends, leading to a potential reliance on AI in decision-making in the future.
