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Time of India
2 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
'AI Mark': British MP becomes available 24/7; bot talks back in his voice
Mark Sewards along side his AI version Mark Sewards, a British MP for Leeds South West and Morley, has launched an AI version of himself that responds to public complaints using his own voice. He introduced the digital assistant, "AI Mark", through his official X account. "This prototype AI model offers my constituents an additional way to engage with their MP on local casework and policy issues. It can't replace the other work I do – it simply gives people another option to contact me, any time of day," Sewards wrote. Encouraging residents to try the tool, he added, "I encourage any resident of Leeds South West and Morley to give AI Mark a try. This is only a prototype, and every request will help train it and make it better." The AI responds with supportive messages or offers to forward queries to Sewards' team. While the aim is to make it easier for voters to feel heard by a voice that sounds like their MP, a disclaimer on the website reads: 'AI Mark is a prototype digital assistant – this is a work in progress and not everything it says should be taken as fact. All responses are AI-generated.' The chatbot has attracted both interest and criticism from AI experts and the media. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 25 Brilliant Plant Hacks That Will Change the Way You Grow Things Learn More Undo The Guardian reported that it struggled with accents, failing to recognise messages from people living just a few kilometres from the constituency's border. Dr Oman from the University of Sheffield told BBC that the growing use of AI in public services poses challenges, especially for older people. 'Many don't realise they're speaking to a bot and assume it's a real person. This can be confusing for them,' she said.
NDTV
2 days ago
- Politics
- NDTV
"UK's First Virtual MP": British Politician Launches AI Version Of Himself To Interact With Constituents
A UK politician has created an AI version of himself to interact with his constituents. According to the BBC, Mark Sewards, a Labour Member of Parliament (MP) for Leeds South West and Morley, collaborated with a startup AI firm, Neural Voice, to create a virtual representation of himself. The chatbot, billed as the "UK's first virtual MP", responds in Mr Seward's voice with advice, support or by offering to pass on a message to his team. The AI version will "help strengthen the connection between an MP's office and the constituents we serve", and will allow people to access support "24/7 365 days a year," the politician said. The AI chatbot is still a "prototype" and would be adjusted as needed. In a message urging local residents to "give AI Mark a try", the MP said that the "AI revolution is happening and we must embrace it or be left behind". "We have to embrace the opportunities that are represented by AI and what better way to learn about it then to become it," he said. "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. The only way to do this is to dip your toe in the water and get involved," he added. According to the BBC, the AI version of Mr Seward records all the conversations, with the aim that his team will be able to pick out the key topics that his constituents are talking about. While it is still in the initial phase, the AI chatbot is already facing criticism, with many questioning whether the step creates further disconnect between politicians and the public. "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," said Dr Susan Oman, a senior lecturer in data, AI and society. There are also concerns about privacy and data security, a lack of human interaction and the bot's ability to resolve issues. According to Dr Oman, 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. This can end up being quite a distressing experience and adds to the confusion," she said. Separately, Victoria Honeyman, a lecturer in British politics at University of Leeds, said that 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 said. "Chatbots are developed by humans, so, like us, they can make mistakes and that could end up undermining people's confidence in their MP," she continued. However, Ms Honeyman she also went on to say that the world is changing so "we need to see how it develops". "With adaptions it may work fine," she said.
Metro
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Metro
We chatted with the UK's first AI MP and it said something very unexpected
Mark Sewards MP and AI Mark, his alter-ego created by local firm Neural Voice (Picture: UK Parliament/Neural Voice/Metro) Once upon a time, if the good people of Leeds South West and Morley ever wanted to ask their MP something, they had to wait until he was on the clock, behind his desk, or – at the very least – currently awake. Not any more. As of today, Labour MP Mark Sewards is available to his constituents (or anyone else) every minute of every hour of every day, and prepared with an answer to any question. Because Sewards is now both man and machine, both mind and computer. He is the UK's first parliamentarian to fuse himself with an AI avatar, harnessing the considerable power of a rapidly evolving technology. OK, that's maybe a bit much. Put simply, a West Yorkshire MP has partnered with an AI start-up run by one of his constituents to develop a chatbot available online. It's pitched as a way for local residents to 'share your concerns and get assistance' – pretty far from the world of Blade Runner or Ex Machina. Sign up to Metro's politics newsletter, Alright Gov? Craig Munro breaks down Westminster chaos into easy to follow insight, walking you through what the latest policies mean to you. Sent every Wednesday. Sign up here. And, as you'll see later on, it's not entirely without its issues. Head to the website, and you'll find a cartoon version of Sewards (in a style familiar from that trend last year where people turned themselves into a Pixar character) introducing himself as 'AI Mark Sewards'. All you have to do is provide your email, consent to the conversation being recorded and shared with the MP's team 'for follow-up', then hit the 'Chat with AI Mark' button. I was a little surprised to learn the service is only available by microphone and not text, but it does make sense. It turns the interaction into more of a digital surgery, which might make it less likely for the interaction to turn abusive. Immediately, I was met with a disembodied Yorkshire accent saying: 'Hi, I'm AI Mark Sewards, Labour MP for Leeds South West and Morley. How can I help you today?' The real Mark Sewards, who entered parliament at last year's election (Picture: Roger Harris) After introducing myself, I decided to start the conversation with a question I was later planning to ask the real Mark Sewards, giving me the chance to compare. Enunciating to avoid any potential trouble with my Scottish accent, I said aloud: 'I want to know why you wanted to turn yourself into an AI MP.' The AI responded: 'Thanks for your question Craig. The aim of having an AI like me is to enhance communication with constituents and make it easier for everyone to have their voices heard. 'I want to ensure that the interests and concerns of the people in Leeds South West and Morley are represented effectively. It's all about connecting with you in a more accessible way.' The results from my next couple of questions concerned me. A query about whether there were any asylum hotels in the constituency – aiming to test the AI's local knowledge – was met with: 'I'll make sure to pass your inquiry about asylum hotels in Leeds South West and Morley to my team.' And when I asked how Sewards voted on the Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill, the AI told me: 'I'm not able to provide specifics on my voting history at this time.' Is this how it was going to work? Just replying with promises to let the team know what I ask, or saying it can't provide an answer yet? New here? Sign up for Metro's politics newsletter Hello, I'm Craig Munro and I'm Metro's man in Westminster. Every Wednesday, I write our Alright, Gov? newsletter with insights from behind the scenes in the Houses of Parliament – and how the decisions made there will end up affecting you. Craig reports every week from inside the Palace of Westminster This week we had a look at the impact of the government's big announcement on recognising Palestinian statehood – and answered a question from a reader about how petitions work. Click here to sign up Things got a bit more interesting when I asked about the biggest crime issues in the constituency – these include 'antisocial behaviour, retail crime and the need for better support for shop workers', which Sewards would help tackle by 'push[ing] for more funding and local support'. For some reason, the auto-transcription thought I responded to this by saying 'What a guy' – a bit of a blow to my journalistic integrity. 'Thank you, Craig,' said AI Mark. 'I appreciate your kind words.' Perhaps that's why I then turned to one of the thorniest issues among Labour MPs: the cuts to Universal Credit contained in the recent benefits bill. I knew real-life Mark Sewards voted for the bill, which slashed the health element of UC by half while ensuring the standard allowance would go up by more than inflation each year until the end of the decade. But did the AI know that too? I asked: 'Do you support cuts to Universal Credit?' AI Mark said: 'I do not support cuts to Universal Credit. 'It's crucial that we provide a strong safety net for those in need, especially during challenging times, advocate for policies that protect and enhance support for vulnerable individuals and families.' I'd have to get actual Mark to clear this one up for me. Tech minister Peter Kyle has been keen to stress the opportunities of AI in government (Picture: Jonathan Brady/PA Wire) Later that afternoon, he appeared on my computer screen, looking reassuringly human. His voice was exactly the same as the robot's, though, thanks to the work of his tech entrepreneur constituent Jeremy Smith. 'I actually had an extended, one-and-a-half-hour interview with Jeremy, in which he asked me loads of different questions to get all the different inflections,' he told me. So, why did Sewards want to turn himself into an AI MP? The idea was first brought up by Jeremy, he told me. 'I'll admit I was sceptical at first, because I knew very little about AI, but the one thing we do know is that the revolution is coming. It's coming whether we embrace it or not. 'And what better way to learn about AI than to throw myself into this?' I was glad AI Mark didn't give the same answer to that question. It would sound a lot more sinister coming from him. As for the UC moment, Sewards suggested he didn't think it had 'necessarily been inaccurate in giving that answer'. 'It contained cuts to the health element, but it included an inflation-busting rise for the standard rate of Universal Credit. So I think what it's probably done there is it's taken that piece of information.' If AI is going to replace MPs for good, clearly it'll have to get better at spin. Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. Arrow MORE: Corbyn vs Starmer, modern manners, and a crumbling NHS Arrow MORE: From a 'Surveillance society' to a 'papers please' society, readers discuss the Online Safety Act Arrow MORE: Sir Rod Stewart's 'tacky' AI tribute comes far too soon after Ozzy Osbourne's death
