‘UK’s first virtual MP’: Meet Mark Sewards, the British politician who created AI version of himself – Firstpost
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Chatbots have become increasingly popular. Today, you can find them on almost every service, offering instant replies and handling queries.
A British politician has now taken this a step further by creating an AI version of himself to communicate with the people he represents.
Mark Sewards, the Labour MP for Leeds South West and Morley, worked with the AI company Neural Voice to develop a virtual version of himself.
On Tuesday, Sewards said he had become the first British MP to launch an artificial intelligence prototype of himself.
So, who is Mark Sewards? How does this AI version function? And are people welcoming the idea?
Here’s all you need to know:
The Labour MP for Leeds South West and Morley has teamed up with AI company Neural Voice to create a virtual version of himself.
This chatbot, described as the “UK’s first virtual MP”, uses Sewards’ voice to give advice, offer support or pass messages on to his team.
Introducing the first AI prototype of a British MP🇬🇧🤖
When constituent and local business owner, Jeremy Smith, approached me with this idea, I was very excited to work with him. The AI revolution is happening and we must embrace it or be left behind. https://t.co/Em9aIKaW6K
The 35-year-old has been an MP for just over a year, having defeated former Conservative MP Andrea Jenkyns to win the Westminster seat in July 2024.
For the unversed, chatbots are computer programs designed to hold a two-way conversation with a human.
They have become increasingly popular as businesses search for new ways to connect with people.
Although they can offer many advantages, there are also concerns over privacy, data security, reduced human contact and whether they can actually solve problems.
In a message encouraging local residents to “give AI Mark a try”, the MP, who was elected for the first time last year, said, “The AI revolution is happening and we must embrace it or be left behind.”
The startup he worked with, Neural Voice, had previously fielded a candidate called AI Steve in the last UK general election.
The idea was to restore trust in politics by letting constituents suggest and vote on what AI Steve should do as a local MP, with the company’s chair, Steve Endacott, taking those decisions to parliament.
Sewards said he partnered with the firm to launch the “first AI prototype of a British MP”.
He told constituents, “When constituent and local business owner, Jeremy Smith, approached me with this idea, I was very excited to work with him.”
He added that the AI was “only a prototype” and would be trained further “to make it better”.
The AI version of Sewards records every conversation so that his team can identify the main topics constituents are discussing. This feature has also faced criticism.
This prototype AI model offers my constituents an additional way to engage with their MP on local casework and policy issues. It can’t ever replace any of the oher work I do and it simply gives people another option to contact me, anytime of day.
Although still in its early stages, the AI chatbot has already drawn criticism, with some arguing it could widen the gap between politicians and the public.
Some social media users accused him of being ’lazy’ and questioned why he was paid a £93,000 salary if a computer was doing his job.
Dr Susan Oman, a senior lecturer in data, AI and society, told BBC, “When it comes to the general public and how they speak about politicians, the trust in them gets worse and worse.”
She said there was a risk that, while an MP may try to be more efficient and available through such tools, people might feel they are being listened to less.
Concerns have also been raised about privacy, data security, reduced human contact and whether the chatbot can effectively deal with problems.
Dr Oman added that the growing use of AI in the public sector has led to difficulties, especially for older generations.
Separately, Victoria Honeyman, a lecturer in British politics at the University of Leeds, warned that the chatbot could cause distress for people seeking help with complex issues.
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