If Keir Starmer Doesn’t Feel Robotic Enough, His AI Doubles Are Here to Answer Your Questions | Politics

For those rare individuals who dream of conversing with Keir Starmer, a new AI model has arrived.

The former Chief of Staff to the Tories has developed a platform called Nostrada, designed to enable users to engage with AI representations of all 650 UK Parliament members.

Founded by Leon Emirali, who previously worked with Steve Berkeley, Nostrada is built to allow users to converse with the “digital twin” of each MP, replicating their political views and mannerisms.

This service targets diplomats, lobbyists, and the general public, helping users explore each MP’s position on various matters and find relevant colleagues.

“Politicians are never short of opinions, which provide us with ample data sources,” Emirali stated. “They have a viewpoint on everything, and the quality of an AI product relies heavily on the data it is built upon.”

The reliability of chatbots may come into question from the politicians themselves.

The Guardian challenged the digital avatars of cabinet members; most chose not to respond, while Health Secretary Wes Street’s representation voted for himself.

These models draw on a vast range of written and spoken material from politicians available online. No matter how hard you attempt to sway them, their stances won’t change. This is due to their inability to learn from new input, meaning that every interaction remains static. The Guardian aims to shed light on the nature of these AI models.

Emirali’s concept originated in 2017 when he attempted to convince conservatives to create a chatbot for then-Prime Minister Theresa May, who was nicknamed “Mabot” to provide brief overviews of key issues.

The AI is already in use among various politicians, including accounts associated with cabinet office emails as well as two distinct accounts linked to foreign embassy emails for investigating the prime minister and his cabinet. Emirali mentioned that several notable lobbying and marketing firms have utilized this technology over recent months.

Despite the numerous applications of Nostrada, Emirali concedes that AI could be a “shortcoming” for future voters who might rely entirely on it to shape their understanding.

He remarked, “Political nuances are too intricate. AI may not be adequately comprehensive for voters to depend on fully. The hope is that for those already familiar with politics, this tool proves to be incredibly beneficial.”