this post was submitted on 10 Jun 2024
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UK Politics

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Politics is too serious a matter to be left to the politicians, so the saying goes.

This may be why a businessman in the south of England is proposing a novel solution: putting himself forward as a candidate in the UK general election as the first “AI MP”.

AI Steve is a nominee on the list of candidates for the 4 July general election in Brighton Pavilion, last held by the Green party’s Caroline Lucas, who is stepping down.

The man behind AI Steve is Steve Endacott, a self-described entrepreneur who lives in Rochdale, but “maintains a house in Brighton”.

Endacott, who is the chair of an artificial intelligence company called Neural Voice but “made his fortune” in the travel sector, claims he will attend parliament to vote on policies as guided by AI Steve’s feedback from his constituents.

He claims the AI representative would answer constituents’ concerns and questions using a rendition of Endacott’s voice and an avatar.

“AI Steve was created to ensure that the people of Brighton and Hove had 24/7 access to leave opinions and create policies,” he wrote on his website.

Endacott, 59, describes himself as a “capitalist with a socialist conscience”.

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[–] ShareMySims@sh.itjust.works 14 points 5 months ago (1 children)

Endacott, 59, describes himself as a “capitalist with a socialist conscience”.

In other words - full of shit.

[–] Madbrad200@sh.itjust.works 1 points 5 months ago (1 children)

I mean that's basically social democracy and it works for the nordics.

[–] ShareMySims@sh.itjust.works 4 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago)

Social Democracy is just a tiptoe away from neoliberalism, if it was Democratic Socialism you might have a point, but it isn't so you don't.

"Capitalist with a socialist conscience" is an oxymoron, it cannot exist since capitalism is directly antithetical to and incompatible with socialism, and will always end up taking priority in the eyes of those in power.

So again, he's full of shit.

it works for the nordics

Only if you look at things in the most superficial way (E: like how Americans think we're socialist because we have the NHS) and ignore that they are on the exact same road as the rest of us just a decade or so behind (and fiercely maintaining near homogeny of their population is absolutely going to make the rise of fascism easier).

In any case, the fact that anyone is actually trying to defend this bullshit is wild.

[–] vext01@lemmy.sdf.org 7 points 5 months ago
[–] Emperor@feddit.uk 4 points 5 months ago

he will attend parliament to vote on policies as guided by AI Steve’s feedback from his constituents.

There's no way that could go horribly wrong.

[–] sp3tr4l@lemmy.zip 2 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago)

Yep, lets have English flavored Kwebblekop in Parliament, that'll work well.

[–] autotldr@lemmings.world 1 points 5 months ago

This is the best summary I could come up with:


This may be why a businessman in the south of England is proposing a novel solution: putting himself forward as a candidate in the UK general election as the first “AI MP”.

AI Steve is a nominee on the list of candidates for the 4 July general election in Brighton Pavilion, last held by the Green party’s Caroline Lucas, who is stepping down.

Endacott, who is the chair of an artificial intelligence company called Neural Voice but “made his fortune” in the travel sector, claims he will attend parliament to vote on policies as guided by AI Steve’s feedback from his constituents.

“Steve comes from a working-class background, with a mother who worked in Tesco and a father who unloaded ships in Sheppey docks.

“He understands the value of money and greatly appreciates that the success of his business exploits has left him relatively wealthy and able to enter politics without needing the financial rewards some others seek.”

Other candidates in Brighton Pavilion include Siân Berry for the Greens, Tom Gray for Labour, Ashley Ridley for the Liberal Democrats and Sarah Webster for the Conservatives.


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