It doesn’t seem to have occurred to Nicola Willis, or the coalition Government, that the logic that makes replacing civil servants with AI seem wise also applies to politicians.
Why pay for a Parliament of 123 MPs when an AI platform could do a better job of devising policies that serve the nation? Or a Cabinet of 28 with more than 70 ministerial portfolios, when most of these people could be replaced by algorithms?
Why have rank amateurs on the job, when an AI chatbot can be programmed with all the relevant literature and information, and asked to devise evidence-based strategies that will enhance the prosperity and happiness of New Zealand citizens?
Why have a Minister of Finance, when an AI Finance chatbot with access to every economics text ever written, and all the information collected by Treasury and other government departments, can devise a budget? Wouldn’t it be less likely to make basic mistakes than a human who lacks relevant expertise and experience?
Why have a Cabinet, for that matter? Citizens’ Assemblies could devise the brief for AI-enabled platforms to suggest and analyse strategies in particular policy areas, and make the final choices on the scenarios they offer with advice from informed experts.
This would be much less costly than our Parliament, with its travel allowances and other perks for MPs, meetings with lobbyists, press releases and social media campaigns, polling and focus groups, and contest for campaign donations. Think of the millions of dollars this would save.
Chat-MPT, our intelligent decision-making system for democracy, could be programmed to check its facts, to be impartial, and to serve only the interests of citizens.
It would have to be designed and serviced in New Zealand to avoid the dangers of foreign control, and be secure from hacking. It must be incorruptible, and able to learn from its mistakes.
When governments ignore the evidence, don’t listen to the people, squabble among themselves and make self-interested decisions, citizens will look elsewhere. This idea began as a joke, but in fact it sounds quite attractive.
If the coalition government doesn’t like it, then it should rethink its plans for the civil service. Sauce for the goose. Etcetera, etc, etc.
