New Brunswick MLA admits using AI to draft legislative speech, sparks policy debate
Progressive Conservative MLA Bill Oliver revealed he relied on artificial intelligence to write a speech he delivered in the New Brunswick legislature, prompting criticism and calls for AI guidelines.
Bill Oliver, the Progressive Conservative representative for Kings Centre, used a large-language model to prepare speaking notes for a June 9 session of the New Brunswick legislature and unintentionally read the AI prompts aloud. He described the episode as a learning experience and insisted the underlying sentiment of the speech was his own. The slip was highlighted by Green MLA Megan Mitton, who, along with David Coon, condemned the use of generative AI for political speeches and noted it disrupted legislative business.
Interim PC leader Glen Savoie accepted Oliver’s apology and announced the caucus will draft an AI usage policy for its sixteen members. The Liberal caucus currently lacks any AI guidelines, whereas the Green caucus instituted a policy earlier this year. Experts from the University of New Brunswick’s Responsible AI Research Lab and Mount Allison University emphasized the need for verification and responsible adoption of AI in government contexts.
Why it matters
The episode raises questions about the authenticity of political communication and the need for clear AI usage rules in legislatures.
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