Travel Gossip Reporter
Travel entrepreneur Steve Endacott insists his bid to become the country’s first virtual reality MP is more than just a publicity stunt.
Industry veterans say “AI Steve” is serious about winning his Brighton and Hove seat in the upcoming general election and intends to strike a blow against democracy in his fight against an increasingly orchestrated and unsympathetic political system.
“Those looking to cash in on cheap PR aren’t going to invest all the time and effort that we are putting into the technology and the website,” he said. Travel Gossip.
“This is a serious attempt to start a political party and we are committed to continuing even if we don’t win in Brighton this time. We will be recruiting more AI candidates to run in local and national elections across the country.”
The concept behind AI Steve is to give voters the opportunity to engage with their e-representatives online. One of Endacott’s many businesses is Neural Voice, a company that specializes in creating AI bots for business. The technology uses natural language processing to power systems that answer questions and solicit opinions.
“We’re recruiting human ‘validators’ in Brighton and have a large number of people signing up,” Endacott explains. “Every week they will receive information about the problems posed to the AI Steve, who will then score them to determine which ones are the most important.”
Endacott has promised that if elected he will not outsource his presence in the House of Commons, but will attend votes in person.
He is now officially standing as an independent in this election after delays from the Electoral Commission meant his party, Smarter UK, was unable to register in time.
Among the policies he has proposed so far are introducing a four-day working week by 2030 to tackle job losses caused by AI and prison growth. Smarter UK also promises to increase National Insurance to invest in the NHS and education, cut university tuition fees, encourage the take-up of electric vehicles and increase levies on online retailers to revitalise high streets.
“This is a radical approach to politics. The slogan is ‘politics by the people, for the people’. I wholeheartedly believe this. Traditional political infrastructure is just rubbish. Watch this space!”
