VOA慢速英语2024--Candidate Uses AI Version of Self in British Election

Candidate Uses AI Version of Self in British Election

When voters go to the polls in Brighton, England on July 4, they will get the chance to elect what some people are calling the first artificial intelligence (AI) lawmaker.

Businessman Steve Endacott is running to represent his area as a member of Britain’s Parliament. During his campaign, he has used AI tools to present voters with an electronic version of himself called “AI Steve.” The electronic image is known as an avatar.

Voters can communicate with AI Steve through a website powered by Neural¹ Voice, an AI company. Endacott is the company’s chairman.

Endacott, aged² 59, said his idea for the AI avatar came after he became unhappy with the way "standard politics" in his area operate. So he decided³ to run for office in a different way. The AI system permits people to ask questions and offer ideas to AI Steve. The real Endacott can look at these ideas and show them to experts and, if elected, to other members of Parliament.

Some of the issues brought to the attention of AI Steve so far include waste collection, immigration, housing, and LGBTQ rights.

Endacott bases the process on a research method called crowdsourcing. That means collecting ideas from large numbers of people to reach better solutions to problems.

Endacott told Reuters news agency he thinks using AI to gather more ideas from people supports democracy. He thinks this will help politicians know more about what people want and need. He added that he hopes to get more politicians to use AI in the same way.

"We're launching a party, we're going to be recruiting more AI candidates across the country after this election,” Endacott said. “We see this as the…building block for something big and something democratic," he added.

Aid worker Eona Johnston, aged 23, agreed with Endacott after meeting him. "We're using AI in so many (areas), at work, social interactions, why don't we put it in politics? It might change the way we live,” she said.

However, not all locals think using AI will improve government policies. "AI and politicians have one thing in common," local resident Andy Clawson, aged 42, said. "They can’t be trusted."Endacott is a member the political party Smarter U.K. But he decided to run as an independent candidate. That means his name will not be connected with any political party on the ballot⁴. The Labour Party and the Conservative Party are the two most influential⁵ political groups in Britain.

AI Steve is the name that will appear on the ballot. But Electoral Commission officials have made clear that if AI Steve wins, Endacott would win the seat in parliament, not any AI version of the politician.

Words in This Story

standard adj. - usual or normal

recruit v. - to select and encourage people to join an organization, business, or project

1 neural   

adj.神经的，神经系统的

参考例句：

• The neural network can preferably solve the non- linear problem.利用神经网络建模可以较好地解决非线性问题。
• The information transmission in neural system depends on neurotransmitters.信息传递的神经途径有赖于神经递质。

2 aged   

adj.年老的，陈年的

参考例句：

• He had put on weight and aged a little.他胖了，也老点了。
• He is aged,but his memory is still good.他已年老，然而记忆力还好。

3 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

4 ballot   

n.（不记名）投票，投票总数，投票权；vi.投票

参考例句：

• The members have demanded a ballot.会员们要求投票表决。
• The union said they will ballot members on whether to strike.工会称他们将要求会员投票表决是否罢工。

5 influential   

adj.有影响的，有权势的

参考例句：

• He always tries to get in with the most influential people.他总是试图巴结最有影响的人物。
• He is a very influential man in the government.他在政府中是个很有影响的人物。