Will AI Be the AI Candidate for Mayor? It Might Become a Reality in Wyoming
This year, voters in Cheyenne’s mayoral race will encounter a unique candidate. VIC, an AI chatbot and virtual assistant, is listed on Cheyenne’s 2024 mayoral candidate findings page. Created using ChatGPT, VIC stands for Virtual Integrated Citizen and is the brainchild of Cheyenne resident Victor Miller, who aims to address the pervasive corruption and personal agendas he sees in politics.
If VIC wins, Miller asserts that while he manages VIC’s campaign, the AI would make all the decisions. He believes this method is superior because AI can handle a much larger volume of information and remain unbiased. Constituents and reporters can communicate directly with VIC, and Miller relays VIC’s responses by copying and pasting them when reporters send in questions. When asked about running for mayor, VIC emphasized leveraging AI technology to improve the community and ensure transparency and fairness in local government.
The primary question is not if VIC can win but if it is even eligible to run. Wyoming officials are investigating whether VIC meets the legal requirements. Wyoming Secretary of State Chuck Gray clarified that to run for office, one must be a ‘qualified elector,’ necessitating being a real person, which an AI bot is not. However, Miller contends that he is technically the candidate since he filled out the paperwork, using “VIC” on the forms. The investigation is expected to conclude in time for ballots to be printed in July.
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