The use of AI chatbots has increased in daily life. From asking queries to creating websites, they are involved doing all sorts of tasks for humans.
However, the field of politics had no everyday use of AI chatbots until now.
Mark Sewards has made history by becoming the first UK MP (Member of Parliament) to launch an AI version of himself to interact with constituents.
Sewards is a British Labour Party politician who has been the Member of Parliament of the United Kingdom for Leeds South West and Morley since 2024.
The 35-year-old has worked alongside a local AI startup to create a virtual assistant that replicates his speaking style and responds to queries on local issues and policy matters mimicking his voice.
The West Yorkshire representatives appreciated this initiative and stated that this historic innovation will “help strengthen the connection between an MP’s office and the constituents we serve.”
While it receives much admiration, critics warn that this step has the potential to erode trust in politicians.
Dr. Susan Oman, a senior lecturer in Data, AI, and society warns: “When it comes to the general public and how they speak about politicians, the trust in them gets worse and worse. There is the risk here that as an MP you are trying to be more efficient and more present for your constituents, but the knock-on effect is they feel less listened to.”
He further marked potential pitfalls especially for older constituents: “They may not realise they're chatting to a bot and often think they are chatting to a real person. This can end up being quite a distressing experience and adds to the confusion.”
However, Sewards defended his move by saying that it will enable constituents to be readily accessible (24 hours a day).
He also explained that the model is developed by a Drighlington-based as a "prototype" and can be refined upon feedback. He further added: “We have to embrace the opportunities that are represented by AI, and what better way to learn about it than to become it?”
Sewards also motivated fellow constituents to also embrace digital technology stating: “I want something that will genuinely be helpful to my constituents... if we can create a model that functions properly without saying ridiculous things, then that's the way to go.”
