Mark Sewards becomes first MP to create himself as an AI bot

With chatbot encounters becoming increasingly commonplace in our daily lives, one MP has become the first UK politician to create an AI version of himself to interact with constituents.

Labour’s Mark Sewards has worked alongside a startup AI firm to create a virtual representation of himself, using his voice and allowing people to ask for help with local issues or policy queries.

The West Yorkshire representative says it will “help strengthen the connection between an MP’s office and the constituents we serve”, but some are questioning whether the step creates further disconnect between politicians and the public.

“When it comes to the general public and how they speak about politicians, the trust in them gets worse and worse,” says Dr Susan Oman, a senior lecturer in data, AI and society.

“There is the risk here that as an MP you are trying to be more efficient and more present for your constituents, but the knock-on effect is they feel less listened to.”

Chatbots – computer programs simulating a two-way conversation with a human user – have seen a recent rise in popularity as businesses look for new methods of communication.

While the software can bring a range of benefits, there are concerns around privacy and data security, a lack of human interaction and the bot’s ability to resolve issues.

Dr Oman, from the University of Sheffield, says the growing use of AI within the public sector has created several issues – particularly for older generations.

“They may not realise they’re chatting to a bot and often think they are chatting to a real person,” she says.

“This can end up being quite a distressing experience and adds to the confusion.”

The 35-year-old Leeds South West and Morley MP says the technology will allow people to access support “24/7 365 days a year”.

Prof Victoria Honeyman, a lecturer in British politics, says the MP’s chatbot has the potential to answer straightforward queries and frees up time for Sewards to deal with complicated case work.

“If you’re using an AI bot to answer simple messages, then most people would be relatively comfortable as we have it in lots of different areas of our lives nowadays,” she says.

The University of Leeds academic says the chatbot could create distress for people seeking help for complex issues.

“People may be talking about emotionally wrought problems and for those people, being put through a bot, even briefly, might cause more upset,” she says.

“Chatbots are developed by humans, so, like us, they can make mistakes and that could end up undermining people’s confidence in their MP.”

While it may not be a complete replacement for the more traditional advice surgeries and knocking on doors during election campaigns, Prof Honeyman says it could be a sign of things to come.

“The world is changing, not that long ago the idea of emailing an MP was something unheard of,” she says.

“We need to see how it develops and with adaptations it may work fine.”

The MP says the model, developed by a local firm in Drighlington, is a “prototype” and would be adjusted as needed.

“We have to embrace the opportunities that are represented by AI and what better way to learn about it then to become it,” he says.

“I want something that will genuinely be helpful to my constituents and the people I represent and if we can create a model that functions properly without saying ridiculous things then that’s the way to go.”

He adds: “The only way to do this is to dip your toe in the water and get involved.”