AI Vs Human Leadership: A Heated Debate Over a Plan to Govern Cheyenne

Victor Miller, a mayoral candidate for Cheyenne, Wyoming, has proposed a unique approach to governance. He plans to manage the city of 65,000 residents using a generative AI bot named VIC (Virtual Integrated Citizen) that he created. Miller believes that this AI bot can quickly scan and summarize municipal documents and make accurate judgments in real-time. He also argues that its decisions would be objective, free from influence by lobbyists, which would be beneficial for democracy. Cheyenne, located in the tech-savvy and crypto-friendly state of Wyoming, might be the first city to have an AI political candidate.

Concerns Over AI Governance

Despite Miller's enthusiasm, many scientists and AI practitioners express concern over the idea of delegating local government to an AI-enhanced bot. Terrence Sejnowski, a professor at the University of California at San Diego, believes that AI should be used as a tool to improve government services' efficiency, not take over entirely. Sejnowski and others point out that even if the AI bot's decisions were accurate, there would still be non-routine cases beyond the bot's training data. Julian Cardarelli, CEO of GovCore, a government tech firm, deems it highly irresponsible to use generative artificial intelligence for any moderate-to-high risk decision-making in government. However, he does believe that low-risk government functions, such as processing social assistance claims or renewing licenses, could be taken over by generative AI software programs.

Miller's Vision for AI in Government

Miller, however, sees himself as a pioneer for the untapped potential of artificial intelligence in government. He came up with this idea after the city erroneously denied him a public records request, a decision later reversed. He believes an AI bot might not have made that initial mistake. He created a program using ChatGPT 4.0 and fed it city ordinances and related documents. He found that the bot could swiftly recall public-records laws and make decisions on issues like funding new city construction or fixing potholes.

AI's Potential in Government

Eyal Darmon, North American public service generative AI lead for IT consulting firm Accenture, believes that AI could significantly impact governments worldwide. He suggests that more than 50% of government activities could one day be disrupted by generative AI. However, Chris Rothfuss, senate minority leader of the Wyoming State Legislature, disagrees. He believes that AI is not yet developed enough to cede the sort of control Miller is suggesting. Rothfuss is particularly concerned about decisions that could harm an individual's welfare, such as whether to shut off Medicare or Medicaid payments, being made automatically by a bot with no final review by a human being.

AI's Role in Government

While many experts believe that AI should not be given full control over government decisions, they agree that it can play a significant role in improving efficiency. AI can summarize long documents, write presentations and documentation materials, and reduce errors in local government. Julian Cardarelli believes that high-risk decisions comprise only about 20% of local government, while the other 80% is administrative and ripe for disruption.

AI's Global Impact

The use of AI in local governance is not limited to the United States. For instance, the city of Sydney, Australia, is using AI to enhance the review process for Complying Development Certificates, and the transport department in the Australian state of New South Wales is exploring the use of AI for real-time diagnostics of road conditions.

Regulating AI

Terrence Sejnowski points out that just like the tools created during the Industrial Revolution, AI can also be misused, and therefore, needs to be regulated. He believes that people need to focus on making AI safer. Julian Cardarelli adds that we are in the early stages of this transformation, which could take 20–30 years to fully unfold. However, he is optimistic about the potential of AI in creating a more democratic, efficient, effective, and fair government.

Bottom Line

The debate over the use of AI in government is complex and multifaceted. While some see it as a tool to enhance efficiency and reduce errors, others worry about the ethical implications and potential misuse. What's your take on this issue? Do you think AI could make a better mayor than any human? Share your thoughts and this article with your friends. Don't forget to sign up for the Daily Briefing, which is available every day at 6pm.