New Zealand entrepreneur Nick Gerritsen created the first Artificial Intelligence politician SAM. The basic notion behind the idea is to remove human biases in solving people’s problems. The virtual politician can answer a person’s queries on local issues and policies such as housing, education, and immigration.
So, how effective can algorithms be in politics? Errors are a part of AI too. But will SAM turn out to be the future of politics?
While AI has made many advances in computer science, medicine, industries and automation, it may take a longer time to set a political foothold.
First off, most countries do not have any legal criteria for AI in political representation. So, a robot may help to provide water and electricity in a slum, but it cannot come around asking for votes.
Apart from the legal lacunae, it is necessary to acknowledge that politics is the last resort of the scoundrel. It is jokingly accepted that a political career in India needs the qualification of a criminal background. While AI is the answer to clean politics, will it be able to maintain a foothold in the world of human charm and cunning.
AI is based on logic, science and programming. And those seem to be the last virtues of the political world. If AI were to win in northern Indian states like Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, they would have to be programmed by Anurag Kashyap through the language of Gangs of Wasseypur. And yet, Mulayam Singh Yadav will tell the AI “Ye tumse nah hopayega”.
The crux of politics lies in popularity. Appeasement and sycophancy are the veiled bywords of the politician. In this mucky world, a logical rational AI may be lost and confused by the fickleness around it.
And yet, SAM is a ray of hope. We can pray for a future, where technology will bring the needed fairness in politics, and AI will become the watchdog for honourable politics.
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