Elections Are No Longer Dull After Including AI in Political Campaigns
In the race for Virginia’s 8th congressional district, AI in political campaigns made it mark as independent candidate Bentley Hensel introduced an AI chatbot, DonBot, to debate in place of Democratic incumbent Don Beyer if he declines to participate.
With election day nearing and Beyer having secured almost 75% of the vote in 2022, CivicActions software engineer Hensel vocalized his frustration over Beyer’s refusal to participate in any further debates since September. Responding, Hensel devised an unusual strategy despite Beyer’s absence, demonstrating the role of AI use in political campaigns.
AI in 2024 Elections
A debate with Hensel and David Kennedy, against DonBot – the AI chatbot representing Don Beye, is scheduled for October 17.
Donbot is trained using data from Beyer’s official materials, news releases, and Federal Election Commission information, using technology from OpenAI.
“The idea of DonBot is to answer questions correctly, based on how Beyer has stated his positions, and not to fool the voters in any way,” Hensel said.
Hensel, with just $17,000 in his campaign account compared to Beyer’s $1.5 million war chest, said the voters have the right to hear what all candidates “have to say about major issues.”
A spokesperson for Beyer, which said the congressman joined a forum with other candidates back in September, would not be attending the debate, this highlighted Beyer’s work on AI regulation and his commitment to fighting AI in elections.
Should either Beyer or Republican candidate Jerry Torres opt out, Hensel says he will build an AI Torres too. “This is one way to gesture toward a lack of competition in this race,” said Hensel, while fighting for transparency in political speech.
The debate will now really test the bounds of AI in political campaigns. As use of AI in political campaigns creates growing concerns like being misused to create deepfakes and disinformation. However, Hensel’s idea represents a significant moment for technology and politics, raising ethical concerns on whether there is a place for AI in political campaigns.
With the elections approaching, Hensel’s perspective is realistic about his prospects but remains committed to including more openness on how political parties can use AI in election campaigns. Hensel also mentions that he strongly emphasizes that AI transparency in elections act as a strong pillar in the electoral process.
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