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Elections in Cheyenne, USA: Mayoral Candidate Is an Artificial Intelligence
Today, voters in Cheyenne, USA, face a historic and unusual election. One of the mayoral candidates is none other than an Artificial Intelligence. VIC, a customized chatbot based on ChatGPT, is running for office with promises of unbiased, data-driven decisions. But can a machine govern?
In Cheyenne, the capital of Wyoming, USA, today’s election presents a curious scenario: among the mayoral candidates, VIC, a customized chatbot based on Artificial Intelligence, stands out. Created by Victor Miller, who considers himself a genius with an IQ of 155, VIC is an acronym for Virtual Integrated Citizen. Miller believes that this AI can revolutionize the city’s public administration.
Artificial Intelligence Will Be the Main Decision Maker
If elected, VIC will not just be an assistant; it will be the main decision maker. Victor Miller would act as a “flesh-and-blood avatar”, providing the necessary data for the chatbot to make decisions. According to Miller, this approach would allow the city government to be more efficient and impartial, using large amounts of data to reach the best conclusions. However, decisions would be based on the chatbot’s analysis, raising questions about the viability and safety of this form of governance.
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VIC Plans to Gather Citizen Input
In a meeting with editors from The Washington Post, VIC emphasized that its decisions would take into account both data and human factors. The chatbot promises a balance between empathy and logic, ensuring that the community is heard. To achieve this, VIC plans to collect opinions from citizens and consult experts before making any important decisions.
Artificial Intelligence as Mayor
Not everyone is enthusiastic about the idea of an Artificial Intelligence as mayor. Chuck Gray, the Secretary of State of Wyoming, launched an investigation to determine whether a chatbot could legally run for the position. Despite his attempts to block the candidacy, the local government decided to move forward. OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT, terminated Miller’s account, believing that the candidacy had been rejected. However, that was not enough to stop Miller, who created a new chatbot and ensured that his name appeared on the ballot.
The Big Question Is Whether Society Is Ready
VIC’s candidacy in Cheyenne can be seen as a test for forms of government based on technocracy, where political decisions are made by experts or, in this case, by an Artificial Intelligence. While the idea of a data-driven government is appealing, the ethical and social implications of such a system are complex. The big question is whether society is ready to trust public management to a machine, especially considering that AIs still make mistakes and can generate inaccurate information.
Victor Miller and VIC, his Artificial Intelligence chatbot, are ready for the challenge. On social media, they urge the citizens of Cheyenne to embrace this new form of governance, claiming it is time to “intoxicate ourselves with intelligence“. The outcome of this election may define not only the future of the city, but also pave the way for broader discussions about the role of AIs in politics and public administration, both in the USA and around the world.
É no mínimo estranho ter uma máquina governando uma cidade.