Are You Ready to Vote for an AI?
By: Patrick Fluke
Tags: Politics, Machine Learning, Artificial Intelligence, Society, Neural Networks

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It comes off as a bit of a joke doesn’t it? That an AI could run against, let alone win an election against a human. A human who is able to understand the subtle nuances that come with governing the voting public? Able to emotionally connect with their constituents, and understand their woes?

Why then am I even writing about it? It seems that a computer wouldn’t stand a chance against that right?

Right?

AI Can Be Very Decisive, and Compare Thousands of Data-points!

What if we’re wrong. What if a computer program, designed to actually balance the needs of the many, rather than simply those who hold it in power, is actually the better way to go? What if it’s possible for it to be fair for everyone?

What would the AI even decide. What would change? There are so many different facets to consider when making decisions, and any human, anyone at all, is going to be constrained within their view of the world.

If you’re an American who fears for their rights to carry arms, how would you feel if an AI decided it was in the best interest for guns to be banned?

If you’re a capitalist from Ireland, how would you feel if an AI decides that taxes on the super rich need to go up… exponentially to pay for social welfare programs.

What about the gun situations from the perspective of the victim of a gun crime, or an individual struggling to break the cycle of homelessness.

Victims of gun crime don’t pay gun lobbies to keep people who support gun crimes in charge.

Capitalists don’t spend billions of dollars to keep a politicians campaign funded when they’re running on the platform of taking billions more from them.

At the end of the day, if things were fair for everyone, no one would be particularly happy, and I’d think a well designed algorithm would have that result.

All of this is just a thought…

Of course Americans aren’t about to give up their guns, and of course billionaires aren’t going to face a 75% tax on their earnings. But wouldn’t it be great if we could discuss such things without everyone taking things so personally? This article, is quite likely to pull out the angry supporters of either side of both these issues, maybe on purpose, but there are thousands of issues like them!

Homelessness;

Education;

The rights of minorities, be them cultural, sexual orientation, or whatever.

Waste disposal;

Mineral and gas exploration;

And so many more!

What if the person, nay, the AI in charge made decisions on all of these matters and more, not just with the economy in mind, not just with their own pockets or those of their friends in mind, but with the lives of everyone weighed fairly against each other.

No one would be particularly happy, we need gas, we need oil, and our garbage has to go somewhere. On the other hand I feel a properly developed AI – for the sake of this article disregard for the GLARING issues with white-washing in the AI field right now and focus on this being a much more advanced AI, perhaps even an article for later – could the world be a better place?

Maybe the AI wouldn’t be in charge, but would provide public recommendations forcing politicians to defend actions taken opposing them?

Maybe the could be representatives with equal voting rights?

Maybe they have no place in politics at all?