A British MP’s decision to launch an artificial intelligence version of himself to speak with constituents has drawn sharp criticism, raising questions about the role of AI in democratic life.
The Washington Post reports that Mark Sewards, the Labour MP for Leeds South West and Morley, this week introduced “AI Mark,” a digital chatbot trained to mimic his voice and Yorkshire accent. The tool, he said, is designed to help manage the thousands of queries his office receives, especially when it is closed.
“Give AI Mark a try,” Sewards posted on social media. “The AI revolution is happening and we must embrace it or be left behind.”
But many constituents were unimpressed. Critics accused Sewards of becoming even more “inaccessible” and branded the initiative “lazy” and even “ecologically irresponsible.”
AI Mark, developed by Neural Voice, responds to users with scripted answers and political platitudes, but admits to having no knowledge of local priorities. The company’s CEO, Jeremy Smith, claimed the chatbot would enhance—not replace—public engagement.
The experiment follows similar AI efforts in politics, including “AI Steve,” an earlier prototype created by Neural Voice’s chairman.
Sewards said the chatbot is still in testing and insisted that no political decisions will be made using artificial intelligence.
