Wyoming man Victor Miller made headlines when he filed for the mayor’s race in Cheyenne as an AI bot named “VIC.” However, just before an interview with Fox News Digital, OpenAI shut down his account, posing a setback to his campaign. Despite this, Miller remained determined to showcase “VIC” at a public event in Laramie County.
Miller expressed conflicting feelings about the situation, emphasizing his desire to bring transparency and accountability to government using AI technology. He called for open-source AI models and asked for support from leaders like Elon Musk. Unfortunately, his attempts to reach out to Musk-owned companies were mostly met with silence.
OpenAI cited a violation of their policies against political campaigning as the reason for shutting down “VIC.” Wyoming Secretary of State Chuck Gray clarified that candidates must be real people to run for office, making an AI bot ineligible. He urged Cheyenne officials to reject “VIC’s” application.
In response to these developments, Miller emphasized the importance of free and equal access to AI technology. He commended a businessman in England who launched a similar campaign with an AI avatar, indicating a growing trend of using AI in politics. Despite the setbacks, Miller remains passionate about using AI to revolutionize governance and hopes for a future where AI is openly accessible for all.
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