By Greg Bensinger
(Reuters) -An online debate held on Thursday against a sitting congressman’s artificial intelligence likeness – marking a gray area in the use of the technology during elections – featured few fireworks, few viewers and a few glitches.
The debate, pitting two independent challengers against incumbent Don Beyer, a Democrat, was streamed on YouTube and Rumble. As Reuters first reported, challenger Bentley Hensel created an AI version of Beyer using his website and other materials to answer questions of policy so that he could debate it regardless of whether Beyer appeared.
Beyer, who eschewed the hour-long event, was represented by a robot icon above the word “DonBot” which read answers with a robotic voice that did not mimic the congressman’s. Hensel and David Kennedy both appeared on camera, as well as representatives from the debate’s sponsors. Republican Jerry Torres was not present.
Beyer, who captured nearly three-fourths of the vote in 2022, is expected to win re-election handily. Hensel previously told Reuters he designed the software to answer accurately based on source materials and not skew the responses to benefit the challengers.
The candidates fielded questions around gun control, limiting aid to Israel and healthcare access, among others. Asked why voters should reelect Beyer, the AI said: “My answer is simple: I believe that I can make a real difference in the lives of the people of Virginia’s 8th district.”
The software said it would oppose withholding all aid and weapons shipments to Israel in lieu of establishing a Palestinian state, if that were proposed. Beyer himself voted against additional aid to Israel in April saying the nation is wealthy and can borrow funds.
“I support humanitarian assistance and have voted in the past to fund defensive capabilities,” he said.
After Reuters’ initial story was published earlier this month, OpenAI removed Hensel’s access to its API because it does not allow its models to be used for political purposes. He moved to a different model for the bot prior to the debate.
As well, Ahmed Bouzid, who runs the True Representation Movement, one of the sponsors of the debate, has since joined Hensel’s campaign. Bouzid was one of the two moderators.
Beyer has participated in two debates with his challengers previously, a spokesperson said, and will appear at a forum on Monday in his district.
He is “a leading voice in Congress on the urgent need to improve artificial intelligence regulation,” according to a statement. Voters should “do research on issues for themselves,” according to the statement and Beyer “has great faith in Northern Virginians’ ability to distinguish fact and fiction.”
Viewership for the debate on YouTube peaked at less than 20 concurrent viewers and DonBot was inaudible for portions of some answers.
Still, observers say the use of AI is likely to become more commonplace in future elections, particularly if legislators fail to pass meaningful laws on its use.
(Reporting by Greg Bensinger; Editing by Stephen Coates and Lisa Shumaker)
