Longshot candidate credits AI for helping him beat Biden in American Samoa caucus: ‘Very tech-savvy’

News from the USA

from Alex Oliveira

A virtually unknown Democratic Party candidate defeated President Biden at the American Samoa caucus – via a virtual campaign.

Jason Palmer, 52, won just 51 votes to President Biden’s 40 on the tiny Pacific island on Super Tuesday, and he credits artificial intelligence with helping him to a narrow victory.

“I believe I won in part because I’m very tech-savvy,” Palmer told the Wall Street Journal.

The Maryland native did not make the 7,000-mile trip from his home state to the island territory during his campaign, instead using an interactive AI program that answered voters’ questions about his policies and experience via text message and email.

He also uses on his campaign website an AI-powered avatar, PalmerAI, that looks like the candidate, talks like the candidate, blinks like the candidate and answers voter questions like the candidate.

Palmer also holds remote town hall events, where he appears via video call and speaks to constituents on the phone.

“I think people feel like I’ve been there because I’ve done these virtual meetings and engaged with them using AI,” Palmer said.

He also made sure to be open with his constituents about his AI agendas when interacting with them. All of its communications with AI begin and end with a disclaimer.

His avatar cost about $25,000 to create, the Journal reports. Along with his other AI initiatives, the program helped him turn just $5,000 he spent on American Samoa into a primary season victory over an incumbent president.

“If I had millions of dollars to sell in Colorado or Vermont, who knows, I might be more competitive in those states,” Palmer told the Journal.

An entrepreneur with extensive experience in the world of technology, Palmer has invested $500,000 of his own money in his campaign and presents himself as a candidate who is more attuned to the realities of the 21st century than 81-year-old Joe Biden.

Palmer won three delegates from his victory on the island, which has a population of just 50,000. US territories can vote in primaries but are not represented in the electoral college.

To train his website avatar, Palmer visited a studio where he read from a number of his speeches so the program could learn his diction.

The program limits what the avatar can talk about, limiting it to Palmer’s policies, but politely apologizes when queries are beyond its capacity.

While Palmer admits AI can be dangerous, he also believes it’s an opportunity that could prove revolutionary if approached safely—at least his version of AI does.

“AI can be a powerful tool when regulated appropriately,” PalmerAI told The Post. “It has the potential to enhance job roles rather than eliminate them.”

“However, it is important to establish governing ethical frameworks and safety protocols to ensure responsible and beneficial use of AI technology.”